The Season of the Witch
by Angelsaurus
Summary: 14 years after the world nearly ended, Subaru is trying to live a peaceful life with his daughter... But the past is about to catch up with both of them.
1. Prologue

Authors notes: This is just an X fanfic that has been in my head for a while now that I wanted to try to write down. It's a bit different from many of the X fics out there. For one thing, there is no shonen-ai or yaoi in this story… To be honest, there isn't really any romance at all. Also, while the hero of this story is the ever-popular Subaru, he is not an angst-filled mess. Subaru is actually quite well adjusted and has taken on a very different role for him… that of a father. Yes, it is a bit unusual, but I hope you will still give it a chance.

Since we still don't know how the manga will end, this story is based on the ending presented in the TV series. Also, I don't own the characters. That honor belongs to CLAMP. I did make up the kids, however, as well as this story. If you leave a review, please be kind.

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Prologue: Teach Your Children

2014 AD

Midori cut an elegant figure, decked head to toe in crisp white robes, a paper spell poised between her fingers. She certainly looked the part of a professional onmyouji. Appearances can be deceiving, however. Midori was young, only 13 years old, and she was well aware of her own inexperience. Today's exorcism was a new chance for her to prove her worth and she didn't want to mess it up, as she had her last several jobs.

Theoretically, this was an easy job, even for an inexpert medium. A young woman had called in earlier, complaining that a restless spirit was wreaking havoc on her Tokyo apartment. Really the ghost was only creating minor mischief such as throwing books and hiding shoes, but it needed to be dealt with nonetheless. With her reputation and her future as an onmyouji on the line, Midori began to nervously chant incantations.

A silvery form began to materialize in front of her, eventually taking the shape of an old lady. The young girl had seen many supernatural phenomena in her line of work but she still hadn't gotten quite used to it. She flinched as the eerie specter lunged at her. It was a critical error. As she stumbled back a step, Midori's left foot became entangled in the hem of her uniform and the resulting fall on her back knocked the breath out of her lungs. Within an instant the ghost was hovering above her, scratching translucent fingers across the helpless girl's cheek.

Like a flash of lightning, a new figure emerged on the scene. The tall man dashed to Midori's aid, skillfully throwing down paper curses and chanting just the right spells with perfect timing. The old woman's spirit retreated from her young victim, and with a few additional spells, was reduced into nothing. Midori stared up awestruck at her rescuer.

"Dad," she spoke softly. "Uh… thanks…" This was by no means the first time that Subaru had come to his daughter's aide, but she was always impressed. In Midori's eyes Subaru was the greatest sorcerer: brave, graceful, and always in perfect form. Her face went hot with shame as she looked at him. How could a klutz like her ever be related to him?

"Are you alright, 'Dori?" her father asked kindly, extending a hand to help her up.

"I… I guess so," Midori sighed, crestfallen.

Subaru rested both his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. His single green left eye contained a glimmer of love. His silver-scarred right eye, while incapable of sight, still reflected gentleness.

"It wasn't as bad as you think," he said with a soft smile.

"Easy for you to say," the girl moaned, "You looked great out there. You always do. And I… I always screw up royally."

"You just need more practice," Subaru replied with a sigh. "Now, let's head home. I'm sure things will seem a little better after a good night's sleep." It was painful for him to see Midori so discouraged and he wished there was something he could do or say to make it better

The car ride back to their Tokyo apartment began in silence. Subaru didn't want to say anything that might make his daughter feel worse, so he opted to say nothing at all. After several awkward minutes, Midori finally ended the hush.

"Dad?" she asked quietly. "Do you ever wonder if there was some sort of mistake when I was born? That I got sent to the wrong dad?"

"W-What!" Subaru stammered, almost steering his car off the road.

"Not literally," Midori replied, quite shocked by her father's reaction. "Don't worry, I know that I really am your daughter. It's just… It's just that sometimes I feel like I don't belong in the Sumeragi family. I haven't completed a single job without your help. I feel like the worst onmyouji ever."

"Ah," her father sighed, sounding oddly relieved. "Honey, needing help doesn't make you a bad onmyouji. I got a lot of help, even when I was older than you are. I had a lot of help… from my sister, and… from Seishirou."

For a few moments Midori was silent once more. It was not often that her father even mentioned the two most important people from his past. If he spoke of Hokuto or Seishirou it meant he had a serious point to make.

"Trust me," he continued. "Any day now you're just going to blossom. You're destined for great things, Midori Sumeragi. You just need to give it some time."

With the way her dad put it, Midori couldn't help but smile. Any self-doubt she was feeling was temporarily forgotten and she could enjoy the rest of the ride home. After a few relaxing minutes she remembered something she'd been meaning to talk about.

"Dad," she chimed. "Next Friday is the last day before spring break and my school is having a cultural festival."

"Don't worry," Subaru chuckled. "I haven't forgotten. We're going with Maki and her family, right?"

"Right," Midori answered with her brightest smile of the evening. She at least had one thing to look forward to.

* * *

The next day, while Midori was at school, Subaru was taking a walk in the park with one of his very few friends. "So, Sei'ichirou," he asked his companion. "Are you and the girls still planning on going to the cultural festival with us? Midori is really looking forward to it." 

"That's still the plan," the older man answered. "Maki is pretty excited, too. Yuka is a bit more low-key, but she's a senior now, so these things aren't as big a deal."

Like Subaru, Sei'ichirou Aoki was once a Dragon of Heaven. They didn't become close friends, however, until after Subaru became a father. It was a great advantage for him to have a friend who also had a little girl. Mr. Aoki, in fact, had two daughters. He also had a wife to help him. Mr. Sumeragi was a single dad and relished any advice he could get.

"So, how is Midori?" Sei'ichirou asked, adjusting his glasses.

"I'm actually a little worried," Subaru sighed. "She still hasn't found her groove in the, um, family business. That's not what troubles me, though. It's the way she's handling it. After yesterday's job went awry she said that she doesn't feel like she belongs as my daughter."

"I'm sure she was just being metaphorical," the wind-master replied earnestly.

"Still," the younger man responded. "I can't help but wonder if she suspects something."

"Listen," said his friend. "Maybe all this worrying means that it's time to tell your daughter the truth." The two old friends stopped walking and stood face to face. An unusually cool spring breeze blew past them.

"Subaru," Aoki continued. "When Midori was little you couldn't tell her because she was too young to understand. But now she's becoming a young woman and there are certain things she's going to want to know. I think now is the time when you need to sit down and talk to her about her past as well as your own. Remember, the longer you put off this conversation, the harder it will be."

Subaru closed his eyes in thought as another breeze ruffled his raven hair. "You're right," he answered. "I know you're right, Sei'ichirou. I'm just… scared."

"Scared?" Aoki asked.

"I know it's ridiculous," Subaru went on. "But deep down I'm scared that Midori won't love me anymore… once she finds out… that I'm not her real father."


	2. Festival

I really hope I finish this story eventually. I was going to wait until it was all done to post it… and yet here I am, posting it. sigh It will probably end up like my GW story… begun with good intentions, then left to rot. But who knows? I might finish this one. I might finish that one too! You never know!

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 1: Festival

On the evening of the cultural festival Clamp Campus sparkled like a gem, illuminated by a thousand paper lanterns. A plethora of colorful stands were set up all around with offerings of food and activities for eager merrymakers. Taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the festival were the Sumeragi and Aoki families, all decked in lovely kimonos.

"Wow!" exclaimed Midori. "This year's festival is even bigger than last year!"

"Yeah," added Maki. "And last year was huge! We're gonna have to hurry if we're gonna fit in everything we want to do."

Maki Aoki had been Midori's best friend since before either of them could remember. Midori was a year older, but Maki's high IQ allowed her to skip a grade in school, so the girls were always in the same class.

For this occasion, the girls had even selected color-coordinated kimonos to wear. Maki's was yellow with a green leaf pattern and her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail with a matching green ribbon. Midori wore a light green kimono patterned with yellow sunflowers. Her black hair was cropped to chin-length but she kept it off her face with a yellow barrette.

"I want to win something at one of the games," said Midori excitedly. "Oh, and I hope they have okonomiyaki! And…"

She turned around to see if her father had heard her. Subaru was lagging a bit behind with Mr. Aoki and seemed oblivious to anything his daughter had said.

"Dad!" Midori called. "Are you even listening?"

"Huh?" Subaru responded. "Oh, sorry 'Dori. I missed what you just said. I was too busy admiring how cute you are."

The young girl rolled her eyes and continued walking backwards, which was not the best idea considering how clumsy she was when just walking forward.

"Dad," she said coyly. "Sometimes you can be so corny and…"

It was almost inevitable that she would fall but nobody expected her to fall so spectacularly. Midori tumbled over backward, did a full flip, and ended up facedown with her kimono flipped up to reveal pink and white striped panties. Immediately, Maki and Subaru rushed to the fallen girl's aid, as did several bystanders.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" her father asked as he helped her to her feet.

"I-I think so," Midori replied, looking quite embarrassed. "I must've tripped over something."

The thing she had tripped over was a ball of gray fur that was now yapping boisterously.

"Hey, it's Pochi!" Midori exclaimed as she scooped up the puppy. "Sorry I tripped over you, boy."

"Uh, "Dori," Maki whispered to her best friend. "If Pochi is here, that means you-know-who can't be far away…"

"Yoo-hoo, ladies," an obnoxious voice interrupted. "You wouldn't be talking about me would you?"

Both girls rolled their eyes at the pint-sized boy who had appeared on the scene. He had spiky dark-brown hair and a devilish grin on his face.

"You little runt!" Maki sneered. "You probably had Pochi trip her on purpose!"

"Shinya Shiyuu, you better not have seen my underpants!" Midori added sharply.

"I didn't see anything," the little boy answered, trying to sound innocent. "I couldn't tell you if your panties were white or pink… or striped…"

"Why you little…" she growled, setting down Pochi and pushing up her sleeves.

At that moment, Subaru stepped in.

"Knock it off, kids," he stated firmly. "There's no need to start a fight over something that was an accident. Now come on, let's all try to have fun. This is a festival after all."

By now, Shinya's mother had tracked him down to the scene. Her slowness in getting there could be explained by the fact that she was very pregnant.

'Shinya, honey," she called after him. "I told you not to get too far ahead of me." She paused and looked around at her son's company. "Mr. Aoki!" she exclaimed joyfully. "And Subaru! It's so great to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Yuzuriha," Sei'ichirou responded.

"Yeah," Subaru added, smiling warmly at their friend. "You look… lovely."

"I look like a watermelon," she joked back. "With number three due in less than a month, I'm as big as a house."

"So, is your husband here?" Aoki inquired.

"Oh, no," Yuzuriha answered. "Kusanagi couldn't make it tonight. Izumi has a really bad cold so he's staying home to take care of her. They both wish they could've come, though."

Standing at Yuzuriha's side was her guardian dog, Inuki, who looked like a grown up version of Pochi. In the past fourteen years, Inuki had changed very little. Yuzuriha, however, had. The girl who was once the youngest and irrefutably cutest member of the Seven Seals had grown in to a beautiful mature woman. These days she was happily married to Kusanagi Shiyuu and had two children plus another on the way.

"Dad," Midori interrupted. "Can Maki and I go off by ourselves for a little while? We wanna go play games."

"I guess," Subaru answered thoughtfully. "But take Shinya with you."

"Fine," the young lady sighed. Her father just smiled.

"I'll meet you at the okonomiyaki stand for dinner. Have fun and be careful." Then he patted her affectionately on the head and watched her skip off.

Sei'ichirou's older daughter Yuka had gone off with her mother and the younger kids were off playing games. Now the three remaining Dragons of Heaven stood face-to-face under the glow of lantern light. It was rare for all of them to be together like this and nobody could think of quite what to say. Of the three, Subaru seemed the most nervous. The situation was making him all too aware of the past he wanted to hide from. After a long awkward silence, Yuzuriha was the first to finally speak up.

"She's starting to look a lot like her mother," she said softly.

"Huh?" Subaru responded.

"I mean Midori," his friend elaborated. "I noticed that she looks a lot like her mother did."

The head of the Sumeragi family looked down at his sandaled feet.

"She does," he sighed. "But I also can see traces of 'him' in her." He paused. "That's why I've decided to tell her the truth about the past."

"Oh," said Yuzuriha, tilting her head to the side. "Well… I think it's the right thing to do. It might even make you two even closer."

Yuzuriha always liked to put a positive spin on things. Subaru, however, still looked unsure.

"Don't worry," she continued casually. "It's not as big a deal as you think it is. She's your daughter. She'll love you no matter what."

"I hope so," Subaru said. "I think I'll probably take her home to Kyoto next week. It's not going to be easy."

His two old friends stood there and watched him as the colored lights danced across the surface of his dead eye. They knew this was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.

"Aw, man!" Maki huffed as the ring she just tossed bounced off of its target. "That was my last try. Maybe you'll do better, 'Dori."

"I hope so," Midori replied eagerly. "I really want to win that stuffed monkey."

"Hmph," Shinya snorted. "Why don't you just stand back and let a man handle this…"

"You're no man," the shorthaired girl said sarcastically. "You're just a shrimp."

"Besides, it's harder than it looks," the other girl added. "I bet you can't get a ring around that peg either."

"Oh yes I can!" Shinya stated firmly. "And I'll prove it! How about this? If I win that monkey for you, 'Dori, you'll go out with me!"

"Go out with you!" Midori shouted at him. "You're seven years old! You shouldn't be asking girls out! Especially girls who are older than you!"

"I'm almost eight!" the pintsized playboy retorted without missing a beat.

"I can get that monkey on my own," Miss Sumeragi said confidently.

"Not if I get it first!" said Shinya with a laugh.

Seconds later the two children were facing off with rings in hand. After a few skillful tosses, the girl emerged victorious and was rewarded with a cuddly stuffed monkey. Shinya frowned.

"That last throw was wind assisted," he argued.

"I have no control over the wind," said Midori with a smirk. Then she turned to Maki who winked. Having a best friend who came from a clan of wind masters had its benefits. "Now, if only I could throw paper spells as well as I throw plastic rings… my life would be a lot easier," she added.

After the ring toss showdown the three young people as well as little Pochi were getting along much better. Even Shinya was on his best behavior. He hadn't walked away empty handed. His fairly good throwing skills had won him a stuffed rabbit, which he planned to give to his little sister.

"Don't feel bad about 'Dori rejecting you," Maki told the younger boy. "Her heart belongs to someone else." Midori elbowed her friend gently.

"Shhhh… Maki," she mumbled. "He doesn't need to know about that."

"What?" Miss Aoki said innocently. "It's not like I mentioned that the man you're in love with happens to be your new teacher."

"Now that really was uncalled for!" Midori retorted, her face blushing madly. "And I just… like him… that's all."

"So, I guess you like older guys," Shinya said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Can we just drop it?" she replied.

"Aw, come on," Maki pleaded. "Can you at least tell me about how you met him again? It's such a cute story!"

"Oh, all right," Midori consented. "But after that we're changing the subject. It was during lunchtime a couple of weeks ago. It was the day you were sick, Maki, so I went to eat under my favorite tree… And when I got there he was sitting there reading. He was so serene and so handsome… So, I told him my name, and he told me his. And he said he was the new eighth grade teacher, which means after the break I get to see him every day and… I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"It's okay," her best friend answered, grinning widely. "You're so cute when you're in love, 'Dori."

"Yeah… adorable," Shinya grumbled. "Hey, isn't it time we met back with our parents for dinner?" Pochi barked loudly.

"Yeah," Midori agreed, checking her watch. "Let's go, I'm starving."

When the quartet arrived at the dining area their parents were already waiting for them.

"Hey guys," Yuzuriha greeted cheerfully. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, Mom," Shinya replied, thrusting the stuffed bunny into her arms. "I got this for Izumi."

"I see you won something, too," Subaru said to his girl. "That's a very cute monkey."

"Thanks," Midori replied, giving the plush animal a squeeze. "So, are you ready to eat, Dad?"

"Yep," he answered happily. "Now let's go get some okonomiyaki. I know it's your favorite."

"It sure is," she added. "Oh, and Dad, after dinner there's a place I want to show you… just you and me."

After they were thoroughly stuffed with fried egg, seafood, and veggies, the two Sumeragi's took off across Clamp Campus hand-in-hand. They journeyed to the edge of the festival grounds and into the unlit garden areas. Midori was leading her father to her favorite spot.

"See this?" she said, pointing to a large tree. "This is my favorite place on all of the school grounds… under this tree."

Subaru stood motionless. He knew this tree. A long time ago a pretty young girl named Kotori had died and was buried under this tree. Later, she was joined by the boy she had loved, who was buried by her side. They were together forever now.

"I don't know why," Midori went on. "I just always feel peaceful when I'm here… I thought you would like it too, Dad."

"It's beautiful," he answered her. For some reason it made him feel contented that his daughter could feel the significance of this site, even if she didn't know why it was significant. He decided to take advantage of their solitude.

"Midori," he asked gently. "How would you feel about going to the family home for golden week?"

"Uh, okay," she answered, a bit puzzled. "But how come?"

"Well," her father went on. "You're getting to an age where pretty soon you won't want to hang out with your old dad anymore. I just want to get in one more vacation before you become to cool for me."

"Dad!" Midori interjected. "Don't say that! You're the coolest person in the whole world! And I'd never want to stop hanging out with you!"

The emotional young girl threw her arms around her father and buried her face in his dark blue kimono. Subaru put his arms around her and hugged back.

"C'mon now," he comforted. "There's no need to cry."

Suddenly, a dark, tall figure showed up on the scene, interrupting the tender father-daughter moment.

"I'm sorry," the man said. "I didn't know anyone was over here."

Recognizing the voice, Midori lifted her head from her father's chest.

"Mr. Munou!" she greeted ecstatically.

"Well hello, Miss Sumeragi," he greeted back. "What brings you out here and away from all the fun?"

Midori's face went scarlet.

"Oh… uh… I was just showing my dad my special place and… Oh! This is my father, by the way. Dad, this is Mister, er, Professor Munou. He's going to be my new teacher."

"It's nice to meet you," the teacher said with a smile. "Your daughter has very good tastes. This is my special place too."

Subaru was suddenly in a state of shock, eyes fixed and mouth slightly agape. Even though it was dark and a bit hard to see, there was no doubt that the man his daughter had just introduced him to was Fuuma Munou. Subaru felt as if his stomach had filled with ice. Standing just a few feet away was the man who had blinded his right eye; the man who had brutally killed countless people, including two of the Seven Seals; the man who had once reminded him so much of Seishirou. And yet, as Subaru looked at this man he could see no trace of cruelty. He actually seemed very kind.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Professor Munou," the bewildered onmyouji finally responded. "I guess I'll be talking to you when parent-teacher conference time rolls around."

"I guess so," Fuuma chuckled. "I think I'm going to go get something to eat, so, goodnight you two. And I'll be seeing you, Miss Sumeragi, when the new school year starts."

With that, the handsome man turned around and headed back towards the center of campus. Midori sighed as she watched him disappear. Even if he was much older than her, she couldn't help but think Mr. Munou was dreamy, especially in kimono.

Subaru watched him leave, too. When Kamui had sacrificed his life, Fuuma was purged of all evil and lost all memory of his past dirty deeds. Still, it would be hard to get used to the idea of this man being his little girl's teacher. It was also one more thing that he would have to somehow explain to Midori.

"I think it's time we headed home," he sighed.

"Yeah," she responded, snuggling up close to him. "Me too."

They took the same route that Fuuma had as they left Midori's special place. The stars were out and a sweet scent of flowers filled the air. It was truly a beautiful night. And neither father nor daughter had any idea that they had been being watched. As soon as the two were out of earshot, a man who had been hiding behind a nearby bush began speaking into a headset.

"We have confirmation," the man said in a sinister voice. "We've located Sumeragi… Now it's just a matter of time before our plans come to fruition… Let the resurrection commence…"

To be continued…


	3. Ambush

Author's Notes- here is the newest chapter of my X fanfiction. There is some action in this chapter, which was a bit hard to write… but I did my best. 

Special thanks go out to **Whimsie Firefly** and **chibi suzaku kitsune** for adding my fic to your favorites. I feel so grateful! I may be a bit new to fanfic writing, and I know I'm a little slow, but your encouragement means so much. I hope you will see this story out to the end (assuming I finish it). I am confident that your questions will be answered. Enjoy!

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 2: Ambush

Rain drizzled down the train's window glass in thick, lazy rivulets obscuring the landscape that passed quickly by outside. Midori was nervous, fidgeting in her seat and twirling a strand of her short black hair around her little finger. It was more than just the weather that had the adolescent uneasy. In her entire life, she had only visited the family home in Kyoto twice. The first time had been after her great-grandmother died, and the second was when Subaru had awkwardly explained to her the birds and the bees. Considering that the only forces strong enough to compel a visit to Kyoto were death and sex, Midori had good reason to be suspicious.

The girl tried to distract herself with other thoughts. She wondered what Maki and the rest of the Aoki family were doing on their vacation at the beach this week. She also contemplated for a while what the new school year would be like with Mr. Munou as her teacher. The handsome educator was someone who, had she not been so anxious about this trip, Midori could spend a long time daydreaming about. But no matter how hard she tried to suppress her fears they always seemed to win out.

If her father had any ulterior motives he wasn't showing them. In the seat across from Midori was Subaru, slumped over fast asleep. A tattered copy of _The Return of the King_ dangled from his lovely limp hand, threatening to fall. Still, he seemed graceful, almost angelic in his slumber. As Midori watched him, the sleeping onmyouji's eyes scrunched up a bit and his lip curled slightly up.

"Mrrr…" he mumbled, causing his daughter to jump up in her seat. "Naw… if th'baby izuh girl… I thin' M'dori z'uh good name… an' id was 'iz fav'rite color…"

"Whose favorite color?" the curious girl blurted out, even though she knew the sleeping man couldn't answer. His semi-coherent muttering lead Midori to the conclusion that in his dream Subaru was speaking to her mother. She was too interested now and she couldn't help but wake him. "Dad! Dad, wake up!"

"What?" Subaru asked sitting bolt upright. "Something wrong, 'Dori?" He rubbed his eyes groggily and Midori suddenly felt rather guilty for disrupting his sleep.

"You… were talking in your sleep is all," she answered nervously. "I'm sorry I woke you up. It's just…" She paused to think of the best way to ask about the contents of his dream. "You were talking to someone… and you told them that if the baby is a girl you think Midori is a good name… that it was someone's favorite color…"

Subaru was still shaking the last bits of sleep off of him and was not adequately awake to put much depth into his answers. "Did I really say that?" He asked. "I don't remember what I was dreaming about. I don't usually talk in my sleep, though…"

"My mother!" Midori interjected. "Your dream… It must have been about my mother. And the baby you were talking about… that was me, wasn't it?" Subaru was dumbfounded but the girl added one last question. "Who was he? The one whose favorite color is green?"

Although he really couldn't remember his dream, the girl's father did know the answer to her question. However, when he opened his mouth all that came out was an awkward croak. Midori's gaze was intense, her eyes like beads of amber flickering with curiosity. Subaru suddenly found that his tongue felt twice its normal size in his mouth.

"Well…" he finally managed to spit out. But as he spoke the train car started to shake violently and the lights flickered off and on. The train was braking quickly; so quickly, in fact, that the change in momentum forced the diminutive thirteen-year old out of her seat and propelled her face-forward and underneath Subaru's seat. By the time he helped her up and dusted her off the train had come to complete stop and the lights had gone permanently out.

"What just happened?" Midori asked, rubbing a sizeable bump on her head. The subject of sleep talking was now very much abandoned. Looking around as her eyes adjusted to the darkness she observed something disturbing. "W-Where is everyone? The train car… it was full. But now all the seats are empty. Everyone… everyone but us… they all just disappeared. Dad, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Subaru answered cautiously. "But I'm going to find out. Just stay where you are, Midori."

"But Dad…" she pleaded softly, only to be cut off.

"Just stay put!" he stated in his firmest possible voice, silencing his girl's objections. The train's abrupt stop had caught Midori by surprise and it baffled her that all but two passengers on a train seemed to have vanished into thin air, but it wasn't until she saw the look in her father's eyes that she felt truly frightened. She was scared because, for the first time she could remember, he looked scared.

Trembling, the young lady sank back into her seat and nervously watched as her father walked solemnly down the aisle and towards the train exit.

The train had stopped about as far from civilization as possible. Looking around at the drenched landscape, Subaru saw a rolling countryside with the hazy purple silhouettes of mountains in the not-too-far distance. The whole scene was obscured by the steady drizzle of rain that had permeated the entire day.

The hairs on the back of the onmyouji's neck stood up. Someone else was here; it had to be. Even though Subaru could not actually see anyone nearby, he knew that if this person could make a train full of people disappear he or she would certainly be able to disguise himself.

"Come out!" he barked. "Whoever you are, show yourself! Show yourself now and I won't hurt you!" He walked forward several steps on the soft, waterlogged soil. If anything violent was to take place he wanted to be a safe distance from the train, where his daughter was waiting. He quietly observed his surroundings for any signs of a response to his call.

He sensed movement. Several yards straight ahead of where Subaru was standing, a figure emerged from the mist. The interloper was a tall, dark-haired man dressed from head to toe in unsettlingly familiar attire. The black suit, thin tie, and dark sunglasses he wore looked identical to the outfit once donned by Seishirou Sakurazuka. The only difference was that this man also sported a white armband, with a logo Subaru couldn't make out.

"Who… who are you?" the baffled medium stuttered as the man drew closer. "Why are you dressed…"

"Why am I dressed like the Sakurazukamori?" the stranger retorted slyly. His voice was low and gravelly. "It's the standard uniform for our organization. My name is Tetsuo Ishida, lead operative for _The Resurrectors_." Now that the man was within a few feet, Subaru could see that the emblem of his armband was a cherry blossom with a black **R** in its center.

"_Resurrectors_?" he replied to the man's cryptic self-introduction.

"I wouldn't expect you to be familiar with us," Mr. Ishida continued. "But that's not what's important. What's important is that we have at last found you… Subaru Sumeragi…"

"You know my name," he intoned as calmly as he could.

"Oh, I know much more than that," Tetsuo Ishida said pulling his sunglasses down on his nose to reveal two intact brown eyes. His similarity to Seishirou was apparently confined to his wardrobe. "You see, we've been studying you for the past fourteen years… and trying to ascertain your exact whereabouts. You're quite elusive, Mr. Sumeragi."

"Get to the point!" Subaru growled. "What do you want with me?"

"Patience, patience my dear Mr. Sumeragi," came the baleful reply. "Just come with me. I'll give you all the answers you seek."

Subaru's blood was beginning to boil. He was ordinarily a very calm and gentle man, but he had very little tolerance for such indirectness, particularly from a complete stranger. One thing was for sure; Subaru had no intention of going anywhere with his uncanny stalker. This he made sure to inform the man verbally.

"I think I'll stay right where I am, thank you very much. And if you wont tell me what your interest in me is… Well then I suggest you leave now and never enter my sights again." There was a pause in the onmyouji's forthright speech. "I will, however, require you to bring back all the people from the train before you go… Mr. Ishida…"

The man in the black suit threw back his head and let out a wicked cackle. "There were no people, you fool!" he laughed.

Subaru gritted his teeth. "You mean…"

"That's right," Ishida sighed. "All an illusion… just part of the master plan to lure you into _The Ressurector's_ web like a fly. I'm a bit disappointed really… I truly expected the leader of all onmyouji in Japan would be a bit more perceptive."

By now, the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi Clan had had more than enough. In truth, Subaru never enjoyed resorting to violence. But it seemed like the only option left to rid himself of this man who he saw more as a nuisance than serious threat.

With fingers delicately positioned, he began to speak the soft incantations known only to those learned in his ancient art. A shimmering pentacle of energy issued forth from his hands and grew in size as it zeroed in on his opponent.

Ishida leapt in the air, acrobatically dodging the attack and landed several feet to the side of his original position. With a smirk, the brown-haired fiend snapped his fingers and, out of the thick moist air, emerged a man and a woman in identical uniform as his on either side of him.

"Takashi, Ritsuko… attack him!" he ordered them. The newcomers didn't hesitate for a second. The man named Takashi, who was a bit larger than Mr. Ishida, pulled a long menacing whip out of the pocket of his black jacket. Ritsuko, a wiry young woman with a long blonde ponytail, reached for a holster on her ankle and retrieved what looked like a small handgun. With weapons in tow, the two agents lunged at a stunned Subaru.

Takashi grunted as he violently unfurled his whip in the direction of the onmyouji. Luckily, Subaru's quick reflexes aided him in dodging backwards. He wasn't quite quick enough, however, and the very end of the leather weapon managed to lash his cheek resulting in a long, thin cut.

With his left hand, Subaru gingerly touched the bleeding wound on his face. At the same time, his right hand glided into his pocket and pulled out a small stack of paper spells that he always kept with him. His hand-eye coordination was as accurate as ever but his opponents were quite agile. Takashi dodged and Tetsuo was nowhere to be found, but he scored a direct hit on the woman.

"Dammit!" she swore, dropping her gun and clutching her afflicted leg. "Kill 'im, Takashi!"

"No!" a voice of protest rang out. It was Mr. Ishida, who had reappeared on the scene just as quickly as he had vanished. "Sumeragi MUST be taken ALIVE!"

The whip-wielding lackey was already on the prowl again. Enraged over his partner's incapacitation, he swung his weapon with astonishing ferocity. The black leather chord lashed around Subaru's lower leg and, with a hefty pull, felled the medium.

Dazed, he lifted his head and spit mud. He was caked in it. He tried to get up but his leg was still thoroughly entangled in Takashi's whip. Looming over him appeared the shadowy form of Mr. Ishida. The operative snapped his fingers three times in rapid succession and three more pairs of black-suited henchmen materialized and surrounded the bewildered Subaru.

The medium's stomach lurched. He was outnumbered and completely encircled, and now he felt the sudden twinge of panic. The leader of _the Ressurectors_ could sense the helplessness in the fallen man's eyes and spoke slowly and calmly.

"So, Mr. Sumeragi… Do you think, now, that you might reconsider my offer?"

Subaru's grimy lips parted, but before he could respond something small and white darted across his field of vision and stuck to Ishida's shoulder… a paper spell.

"You stay away from my Dad!" a shrill young voice permeated the ring of henchmen.

"Midori!" Subaru gasped as an icy claw seized his chest. Suddenly his worst fear was being realized and all he could do is lay in the mud and watch, terrified.

The troupe of villains was equally taken aback. There was a young girl within their circle, staring them down with burning eyes and tightly clenched fists. For a brief moment everyone remained motionless and the sound of the rain came back. While the crowd remained dumbfounded, Midori dashed to her muddy father's side.

"Midori," he stammered. "I told you to stay in the train… Why? Why did you disobey me?"

"Dad," she whimpered, cradling his head in her lap. "I dunno… I just… I just felt like something was wrong… like you were in trouble… And I was right! Dad, what's going on? What did these guys do to you?"

Twin trickles spilled from the girl's pretty hazel eyes and, although he didn't realize it, Subaru was crying too. As the two Sumeragis clung to each other, the mysterious folks in black suits whispered, contemplating their next course of action.

"A kid?" Ritsuko questioned, wrinkling her nose. "Boss, you said Sumeragi was alone."

"I thought he would be," their disgruntled leader barked. "Dammit! I forgot about the kid! But it doesn't matter… just carry out the plan!"

"What about the girl?" another agent asked.

"Kill her!" Ishida hissed out loud without the slightest trace of compassion.

Hearing this, Subaru's heart, which had been pounding out of his chest, nearly stopped. Midori stood up, wide-eyed and trembling. All around them bloodthirsty eyes were fixed upon the girl, intent on murder.

"Run, Midori!" the father urged frantically. But the teenager wouldn't budge. She was either paralyzed with fear or consciously choosing to stay put.

"I won't leave you, Dad!" she cried. "I-I'm going to protect you… no matter what!"

"Midori!" he pleaded, with increasing fear and desperation. "Don't worry… I won't let them take me… JUST RUN! Save yourself, 'Dori!" With much uncertainty, the girl obeyed her father and tore away from the group. Her small size made it possible for her to escape between two of the suits but they were instantly on her tail.

As the deadly mob hunted his daughter, Subaru went to work frantically untying the whip around his leg.

_Oh God,_ he thought to himself, his heart pulsing like a jackhammer. _Please let her be okay! Just let her outrun them long enough for me to get free! Long enough for me to save her! If anything happens to Midori… I wont be able to live! Just let her escape!_

He felt a small victory as he undid the last loop, freeing his leg, and he sprung to his feet with renewed vigor.

"I'm coming, Midori!" he roared as he charged forward as if on wings.

Midori had been doing a surprisingly good job of dodging her attackers, especially considering her clumsy reputation. But she was running out of stamina, there was rain in her eyes, and she was terrified. Subaru was only a few yards away from his daughter when it happened. She ducked to avoid a knife being swung at her head then turned on heel and ran in the opposite direction, inadvertently running right into Mr. Ishida. Subaru threw an attack, but it was too late. He saw it in slow motion as Tetsuo pulled a long metal object from his jacket and brought it down full-force on his daughter's head.

"Midoriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" the anguished father screamed as his child fell to the ground like a lead weight. This couldn't be happening.

With the girl out of the way, the seemingly tireless _Ressurectors_ turned their attention back to their intended target, but in a much calmer fashion. Ritsuko, who limped slightly from her injury, finally fired her weapon at Subaru, who was rushing towards Midori. It was a direct hit to the back of his neck. The grieving man ignored the sting and the red-plumed dart stuck in his flesh and kept running. But the poison acted fast, first afflicting his legs and causing him to stumble mere feet from the limp form of his daughter.

"M-Midori," he stuttered weakly, nearly blinded by tears. But no response came. She was face down in the soggy earth and a red stain was spreading around her head. Even as the numbness spread up through his limbs, Subaru reached out to her. His fingertips barely grazed her hair, which was wet and matted with rain and blood. The last thing he heard before falling into black unconscious was the cruel voice of Tetsuo Ishida.

"Haul Sumeragi away… Just leave the girl's body… There are wild dogs in this area… they'll dispose of it for us…"

to be continued…


	4. Waking

Well, this is the newest chapter. Last time things weren't looking so good for our dashing hero and plucky heroine… Thank you very much to anyone who has given this story a chance. I am sorry I write so slowly. I am inexperienced and there are still a lot of things I haven't quite sorted out in this fanfiction, particularly how I'm going to weave in all the back-story. The main back-story being who Midori's real parents are and how Subaru came to be raising her. Don't worry; I'll work it in. I hope you like the new chapter. It contains an unusual cameo of sorts…

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 3: Waking

Something warm. A pale yellow glow enveloped Subaru, instilling in him an indescribable comfort. This strange feeling was a comfort that was both joy and sorrow at once. The glow was transforming into walls all around him, the cream-colored walls of a hospital nursery. Subaru was rocking gently back and forth, a tiny bundle snuggled in his arm. The bundle squirmed and emitted a teeny whimper.

"Please don't cry," he spoke softly. A cherubic little face peered back at him curiously from the pink flannel blanket. She was beautiful, a perfect little person, just hours old. Her eyes were the smoky color that all newborns possess and a wisp of black fluff peeked out from under a pink knit cap.

"Little Midori," Subaru sighed as he cupped her soft cheek in the palm of his hand. "So innocent… too young to understand… that your mommy is gone… forever…" The emotionality of the situation finally caught up to the man in the rocking chair and hot tears welled up in his eyes. Even his right eye, which was blind, was still capable of crying.

"I… I couldn't protect her," he sobbed quietly. "Just like I couldn't protect my sister… and I couldn't protect my… I couldn't protect Seishirou… They're all dead… Everyone I love seems destined to die tragically. That's why…" He paused to rub his salty cheek with the back of his hand. "That's why I never want to love anyone again…"

As if in response to his pained words, the infant gurgled inquisitively and lifted a tiny fist. As her rosy little digits wrapped around his index finger, Subaru felt his heart melt. Something long absent, a smile, crawled across his trembling lips.

"I think I can make an exception for you, baby girl," he breathed. "I can't promise that I'll be able to protect you. But I'll sure as hell try… All we've got now is each other, Midori… my Midori…"

When he looked down again all that rested in his arms was an empty blanket. Baby Midori had vanished into thin air. Just as panic struck him, the scene transformed again. What was warm and bright became cold and dark. Subaru was waking from his dream and emerging into the cruelness of reality.

Midori was dead. It was the first and only thought on Subaru's mind as he reentered consciousness. The sight of her small body falling limply to the ground, oozing blood onto the grass replayed over and over in his brain, driving him mad with grief.

"So, finally woke up, eh?" a harsh growl echoed in the darkness. It wasn't until he tried to sit up to see who had addressed him that Subaru even realized that his arms and legs were shackled down tightly. The clang of metal on metal ensued as he tried to wrench himself free from the restraints but he didn't speak a word. Though there wasn't much light in the room, the captive figured that he must be strapped onto some sort of bed or stretcher.

"Don't want to talk?" the rough voice responded to his silence. "Well you don't hafta talk to me… But the boss wants some words with you, and you'd better not give him the silent treatment. You've seen for yourself that he doesn't go easy on anyone… even children."

Subaru gritted his teeth hard, wordless rage steaming hotly from his nostrils. It was a funny feeling; vicious thoughts of revenge seemed to be bubbling up inside him, overpowering his previous state of all-consuming despair. If his arm and leg restraints had not been so well constructed Subaru was sure that he would have gone on a destructive rampage.

The guard who had barked at him ignored the prisoner's wrath and proceeded with his duties. The medium's bed must have been on wheels because he soon found himself being pushed out of the murky holding room and into a bright hallway. The eerie squeaking sound of moving wheels hung over all that transpired.

Fluorescent lights that passed by overhead stung Subaru's eyes, which were already sore from crying. This was a long corridor, cold and sterile, lined on both sides with closed doors. It smelled like a hospital but the prisoner could feel that no acts of kindness or healing ever took place within these walls. But then, how could they? His captors clearly had no concept of love if they could remorselessly slaughter an innocent girl, his Midori.

After what seemed like an interminable journey, the grunt stopped in front of a plain metal door and gained entry with a swipe of a card key and a quickly typed code. It was a very large room, Subaru could tell as soon as his bed was shoved inside, and the hum of unseen machinery was omnipresent.

"Ah, Mr. Sumeragi…" a familiar slippery voice intoned. "That was quite a nap you took. But then, it was quite a powerful dart my Ritsuko used. It's the kind they use to take down tigers…" As he spoke, Mr. Ishida leaned over the restrained onmyouji, taunting him with a coy smile. "What's wrong, don't believe me?"

Subaru turned his head to avoid the man's cruel gaze and his breath that reeked of tobacco. "It was **you**…" he growled. "You're the one who killed my daughter… You murdered her…"

"Aww, are you still hung up on that?" Ishida asked with feigned sympathy. "Well, I feel for you. I really do. But don't you think it's time to move on? After all, you still haven't asked me why I've brought you here. You see, we _Ressurectors_ have big plans for you. And I think you will be quite excited when you see what we have in store."

"Do whatever you want to me," the prisoner said softly, his eyes glazed and listless. "You've already taken from me the only thing that made my life worth living… the only thing I cared about…"

"Oh, I think you'll care about this." As Tetsuo Ishida said this he adjusted Subaru's restraining bed so it was nearly vertical and the medium had a clear view of the enormous room. His blood turned to ice water when he saw what was in front of him. If his stomach hadn't been painfully empty, Subaru was sure he would have vomited. Right before his eyes was a large cylindrical tank filled with a greenish liquid and submerged in the liquid was the sleeping form of Seishirou Sakurazuka.

* * *

Throbbing pain was the first thing Midori felt, even before her eyes had opened. It felt like her head was on fire, but when she reached to touch her stinging temple she found that it had been bandaged up nicely. The young lady's weary eyelids opened with a start and she sprang upright. 

"D-dad?" she asked eagerly. As she took in her surroundings, however, Midori realized that she was wrapped in a quilt, laying on a futon in a room she had never seen before. It was a quaint room in an old-fashioned house, not unlike the Sumeragi home in Kyoto. A pretty woman with a long brown braid and wire-framed glasses entered through the only door carrying a tray with a steaming cup of tea.

"You're awake," she said kindly. "You gave us quite a scare… thought you might not make it through the night."

Midori blinked several times in succession, trying to get a firm grasp of what was going on. It was a difficult task considering she was still rather groggy.

"W-where am I?" she asked drowsily. " How did I get here? And who… who are you?"

"My name is Mimi," the woman answered as she handed the injured girl the cup of tea. "Careful, it's hot… This is my mother's house… near Osaka. She found you yesterday in a field a couple miles away. You were unconscious and bleeding pretty badly."

"Osaka?" Midori uttered to herself in disbelief. "That train must have been off course… could it all have been part of some elaborate trap?" With aching brow furrowed she continued to ponder quietly until she suddenly remembered what was missing. "Dad!" she blurted out. "My dad? Did you find him? Did you see him? He's tall and he's got dark hair… and… and his right eye is blind!"

The woman named Mimi just looked down sadly and shook her head.

"Oh my God!" the younger girl stammered. "He's… he's dead?" Her face was frozen in a mask of terror. Could her father really be dead?

"Oh! No!" Mimi replied exuberantly. Then her tone dropped a note. "That is to say… I don't know. My mother said she found you alone… nobody else anywhere near…"

"Oh… well, I guess that's better than finding his body," Midori said sadly. "But still… he's gone. I can't believe he's gone…" Her tender age showed through as tears now flowed freely from her amber brown eyes. Her caretaker promptly got down on her knees and embraced the girl tenderly, as if she was family.

"Don't worry," she comforted. "I'll help you sort everything out, I promise. But right now you need to rest. You've suffered a serious trauma." With these words, Mimi gently laid Midori back down on her futon and tucked the fluffy quilt tightly around her. "Try to lay still. I'm sure wherever your father is, he's worried about you and he'd want you to take care of yourself."

"I guess you're right," the young one sighed. "My name is Midori, by the way, Midori Sumeragi. And you… you took care of me… even though you don't know me. You and your mother… I owe you my life."

The braided woman looked positively befuddled at this remark. "Of course," she said. "Who could ignore another human being who was hurt and needed help? It's only natural that people should take care of each other."

A smile that wasn't at all forced found its way onto Midori's lips. She wondered if it was mere dumb luck that she had been found by such a compassionate, selfless family, or if there was some greater power looking out for her. By now the hot chamomile tea had gotten into her system and she was feeling much calmer.

"Midori, can I ask you something?" Mimi asked. Midori could tell from her tone that she had been holding this question in, waiting for the right time to ask it. "Do you remember what happened to you? I'm just wondering how a pretty young girl could end up in the middle of nowhere with a five inch gash in her head."

Midori hesitated. She had to pause for a second in order to recall what exactly did happen the previous day. "I was on a train with my dad and it stopped for some reason… and then these guys in black suits attacked us. One of them hit me on the head with something… they must have taken my father after I passed out. I-I just can't figure out why anyone would want to do something bad to him. He's the nicest guy in the world!"

As the girl was telling her story a new person entered the room. She was an older woman, probably in her fifties, but her physical similarities to Mimi were still evident. Midori realized immediately that this was the mother who had rescued her.

"Oh my," the eldest lady said. "You're finally awake, little one. Is your head alright?"

"It hurts," said Midori shyly, touching her bandaged head. "But thanks to you and your daughter I'm still alive." Then she sat up and extended her hand in greeting. "Midori Sumeragi."

"Michiko Arisugawa," the woman introduced herself. Her smile was warm and wide, but in her eyes there was a trace of some passed tragedy, a hidden sadness.

"Mom," Mimi interrupted. "I think I'll go get started on dinner now… I'll see both of you later." And with that she exited leaving an awkward silence between the relative strangers still in the room.

"You have a lot of books," the younger lady commented as she gazed around the room to the well-stocked shelf.

"Ah, you like to read?" asked Mrs. Arisugawa curiously. "Feel free to browse through my collection."

"Thank you," said Midori graciously. Reading a book might help keep her mind off of Subaru's disappearance long enough for her to get some rest. Upon getting to her feet, Midori was surprised to discover that she was dressed in a lovely clean yukata.

Michiko could read the confusion on the young lady's face and responded lightheartedly. "Your clothes were soaked through, so Mimi changed you. I hope you don't mind."

"N-not at all," said the girl, though she was blushing a bit. "Your daughter is very good at taking care of people."

"She is," the mother sighed. "After her father died, Mimi and her husband moved in with me to help take care of the house."

"That's awfully sweet," said Midori, though she was now eagerly scanning the bookshelf. Her eyes came to a stop on a small, framed photograph. "What a cute little boy!" she exclaimed. "Is he your grandson?"

The trace sadness that had lingered in Michiko's eyes now showed itself as clear as crystal. She extended an aging hand and gently lifted the picture of a spiky-haired toddler from the dusty shelf.

"This," she said slowly. "Is my son… was my son…"

Midori let out a little gasp before she began to ask a question. "Is he…?"

"I don't know if he's dead or alive," Mrs. Arisugawa replied, detecting the end of the girl's question. "No. He was taken away from me a long time ago, when he was just three years old. Someone told me my son was special, that he had some higher calling… But they had to take him away… and for some reason, I let them…"

As she shared her sad memory, the woman's fist clenched and her eyes closed. Still, twin drops of managed to squeeze their way out and streak down her cheeks. "It's selfish, I know," she continued. "But I wish I had fought for him… I wish I could have kept him with me, with his family who loves him… My Sorata…"

The anguish of Michiko Arisugawa hit Midori like a powerful wave and was now pulling her heart deep underwater, back to sea. Even after many years apart, this woman still loved the little boy in that photograph, still felt the searing pain of losing him as if it happened yesterday. But it **was** only yesterday that Midori had lost Subaru, a realization that ignited a fire deep inside her. If she had to miss her father this much for the rest of her life she would die of grief for sure.

"I'm going to find my dad!" she declared out loud, catching the older woman by surprise. "It's not selfish to fight for the people you love! If it is then… then I guess I'm selfish too! But I don't care! I'm going to find my dad! No matter what it takes!"

"M-Miss Sumeragi?" Michiko said, stunned. Then a smile that seemed almost proud spread over her features, accentuating small creases at the corners of her eyes. "You're quite a remarkable girl, Midori Sumeragi… and I wish you the best of luck in finding your father. If there is anything my daughter or I can do to help, do not hesitate to ask."

"Oh, no!" Midori said humbly, though still invigorated. "You have done more than enough… Much more!"

The prospect of reading a book and calming down had now been completely forgotten. All the onmyouji's daughter could think about now was how to go about getting him back. _I can't do it all by myself_, she thought. _But that's okay… like dad said; it's all right to need help. I know! I'll talk to Mr. Aoki… and Mrs. Shiyuu. They've known dad longer than anyone. Maybe one of them might know who could've kidnapped him… and where he might be now… I have to get back to Tokyo!_

It was a t this moment that Midori noticed her clothes hung over a chair in the corner of the room, and with them was her purse.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Arisugawa," she said politely. "Do you mind if I call someone for a ride home? I don't want to be a burden to you any longer. You've been so good to me… but I have to go and look for him."

"I understand," was all the preternaturally kind woman said.

Rifling through her purse, Midori found her cell phone and her Hello Kitty organizer. Apparently the folks who kidnapped Subaru had no interest in robbing his daughter. Maki's family was at the beach this week and Shinya's was camping in the mountains. Their vacation phone numbers were both written in the planner. Midori quickly flipped through the pages only to make a unsettling discovery: the page containing the phone numbers was gone.

"The paper spell!" she gasped quietly. "The paper spell I threw at those guys in black, I must've written it on the back of that page!" Though discouraged, the girl decided not to panic. There had to be someone else who could give her a ride. After all, her father's life was at stake. She leafed through the entire little planner and was mortified to discover only one phone number was left written in it. The name next to it was Professor Fuuma Munou.

To be continued…


	5. Countdown

It's been a long time since the last chapter. The spring semester has begun and I've been pretty busy with school and work. Plus, I've been spending a lot of my free time reading lately. My car broke down this week, though, and being stranded at home gave me time to write a new chapter. It's not quite as long as the previous chapters, but it is dialogue intensive and explains a lot. I hope you enjoy reading it. As always, thank you for your kind comments and for your patience.

The Season of The Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 4: Countdown

_It can't be._ Subaru's lips formed the words but his lungs couldn't seem to push any air out to actually speak them. Tetsuo didn't need to hear the words aloud, however, to respond to them.

"I can assure you, Mr. Sumeragi, what you are seeing is no illusion." His voice was as greasy as petroleum and, although the room was darkened he still wore sunglasses. Subaru, however, took no notice of this as his eyes were fixed on the encapsulated figure in front of him.

He appeared to be in a state of suspended animation, eyes closed, motionless. He wasn't dead but Subaru was not sure he was alive either. Even through the murk of the greenish liquid the features were unmistakable. Broad shoulders. Thin lips. A fringe of dark hair. This was Seishirou Sakurazuka exactly as he appeared in Subaru's best - and worst – memories.

"But… Seishirou is dead," Subaru uttered. "I…"

"Killed him with your own hand," Tetsuo completed the captive's thought. "Ah yes, I do know that. What you see in front of you is not _that_ Sakurazukamori, per se. Please, think of our friend here as… a replacement."

Subaru's nose crinkled up in a combination of disgust and awe. "What exactly are you saying," he asked. "What is this _thing_? A clone? A robot?"

At these words, the dark suited man tilted down his sunglasses a bit exposing two glistening slivers of his wicked eyes. His lips curled up into a hideously twisted grin. "You really are a clever one, Mr. Sumeragi." He said the words as if he really was surprised at Subaru's intelligence. "Actually, both your guesses could be considered correct. But then… I'm not really one who can answer all of your _technical_ questions. I didn't make him."

"What? Make him? Then… who?" Subaru's words were almost incomprehensible, as his mind had become a chaotic swirl of emotion. His glazed eyes still remained on Seishirou but none of his senses seemed to connect to his brain anymore. He didn't even notice the individual who stalked out from behind the vessel.

"He's my creation," said the person. It was a woman.

She was rather tall, and wiry. She wore a long white lab coat and thin, spider-like fingers branched out from under the cuffs of her sleeves. Her hair was pulled back in a severe knot and a pair of wire-frame glasses perched on her pointed nose. With such a poisonous look in her eyes she could have passed as Tetsuo Ishida's sister except that she had Caucasian features.

"My name is Dr. Elizabeth Silver," she said carefully. "And I developed this version of the Sakurazukamori that you are looking at. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have, Subaru Sumeragi. So feel free to ask."

Subaru did not say anything, did not ask any questions. He merely lay there where he was strapped, eyes widened in disbelief. The mysterious Dr. Silver strode over towards him and cupped his chin in her claw-like hand.

"Not a talker, eh? But you certainly are a _handsome_ man. I can see why the Sakurazukamori was so found of you." Subaru wrenched his head away from her in disgust but she pulled him back to face her and continued to speak. "Since you aren't talking, I'll go ahead and answer all the questions that I'm sure are in that pretty head of yours."

"As one of the Seven Seals," she said, moving deliberately away from Subaru and back towards her monstrous creation. "Oh yes, I know who you are. As one of the Seven Seals, I'm sure you are familiar with the being known as Nataku. What you couldn't possibly know until know is that I was the real brains behind the project… although others took the credit for it. My genius went unrecognized by everybody. Well, nearly everybody. Fourteen years ago I was approached by Mr. Ishida here and commissioned to do a very important task. The task of resurrecting the Sakurazukamori."

Despite his utter revulsion at both Ishida and Silver, Subaru was addicted to the story they wove. His life was now bound to these cruel individuals through their connection to Seishirou and he was eager to understand what that connection was. He waited for Dr. Silver to continue, but it was Ishida who picked up the story.

"The year 1999 saw the death of the greatest assassin that the Sakurazuka Clan had ever known. Traditionally, succession goes to the individual who kills the previous Sakurazukamori. Unfortunately, the young man who killed Seishirou was unwilling to carry out his duties." He paused to glare at Subaru. "So the Ressurectors were organized with the sole purpose of bringing back a Sakurazukamori who would do exactly what was required of him."

"So that's why you asked her to build this… this _thing_?" Subaru spat contemptuously.

"Well, not immediately," Ishida responded calmly. "We tried other ways to revive the Sakurazuka line… everything from sorcery to artificial insemination. But nothing ever came to fruition. Then I realized that what we needed was Seishirou himself. The perfect mind, the perfect temperament. The perfect assassin. After doing some research on the subject of cloning, I realized that Elizabeth Silver was the person who could make my dream a reality. I'd heard about her work on the Nataku Project and was finally able to meet her through a… mutual acquaintance."

"Working with Tetsuo was the greatest honor I've ever had," praised Silver. The way she spoke of her partner indicated to Subaru that their relationship was more than just business. "Remaking Sakurazuka was an ambitious project and it allowed me to try things never attempted before in the field of genetics. I'm not sure if you know this, Mr. Sumeragi, but Nataku was cloned from a little girl named Kazuki. It wasn't a _pure_ clone however. Kazuki's father gave his life so that his own body could fill in the missing pieces."

"What does this have to do with Seishirou?" Subaru growled.

"Tch… So impatient," clucked Silver. "What I was getting to is that like Nataku, this Seishirou is not a pure clone either. In order to do that, we would have had to raise him up all the way from an embryo. Cloned flesh wrapped around a mechanical frame. That was the solution. Have you ever heard the phrase, 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak?'"

The captive medium's eyes widened. He did not fully understand the complex science that such a creation entailed, but he did realize the repercussions. This reconstructed version of Seishirou would have strength beyond that of a normal human being; beyond that of the real Seishirou, who was by no means normal. This manufactured Sakurazukamori was literally a killing machine.

"That's why both your guesses were correct," Tetsuo suddenly chimed in. "He is both biological and mechanical. Biomechanical, as they say. So, what do you think?"

The question rang in Subaru's ear. He stared at the coyly grinning faces of Ishida and Silver. There was rage; rage he didn't even know he felt, bubbling behind his eyes. His body unexpectedly lunged forward, his limbs pulling painfully against their metal restraints.

"Is this why you brought me here? So you could show off this monstrosity to me?" The words erupted from his chest in a violent roar. "You didn't even know Seishirou! Yet you defiled his memory and created a monster bearing his face! Did you bring me here so you could watch him kill me? Is that why you attacked me on the train? Is that why my daughter had to DIE?"

As he spat out the last word stinging hot tears dripped down his face and his body went limp with defeat. His arms and legs ached from his struggle and he once again felt his heart consumed with grief. Tetsuo Ishida, however, was cackling with hideous laughter.

"Haven't you realized why you're here yet?" he asked. "Haven't you looked down at your arms this whole time?"

Subaru actually hadn't looked at his arms and paused to do so, hoping it might clarify Ishida's words. What he discovered was grotesque. Taped to the inside of his right arm was an intravenous line carrying a clear liquid, probably saline, from a plastic bag into his body. The tubing attached to his left arm was serving the opposite function, sapping something from his vein. The tubing was clear and Subaru could see the red liquid as it traveled through the plumbing and connected to the equipment surrounding Seishirou's container.

"M-my blood!" he stuttered. "You're taking my blood! Why?"

"Your blood," Ishida spoke calmly, "is the fuel that will give Seishirou new life and restore him as the Sakurazukamori. That's why we've been draining you since you first got here. It takes a full eight pints, you know."

"Why didn't you just kill me?" Subaru sneered. "You could have gotten my blood a lot faster that way."

"I'm afraid that wouldn't have worked out," his captor answered. "In order for the transfer to be successful it has to be living blood. And it has to be yours. As Seishirou's killer, you are by law the next Sakurazukamori. The moment your hand pierced his body it became ingrained your blood. Soon the blood that flows in you will flow through him, and he will be the Sakurazukamori once more." After a silent pause he added one last thought. "But, if you're so eager to die, maybe this time he'll grant you your wish."

"You're sick…." Subaru tried to yell but it came out as a sob. "You're sick and you murdered my little girl…"

"The girl posed a threat to our plans," spoke Dr. Silver, after remaining quiet for so long.

"What kind of threat could she be?" the bereaved father cried. "She was just a kid… barely even a teenager…"

"She had to be eliminated nonetheless," said Ishida. "I really don't see why you're so upset, Mr. Sumeragi. It's not as if she was _really_ your daughter."

Subaru was about to ask Ishida how he knew about Midori but a high-pitched ring cut him off.

"It's time," Ishida said delightedly and turned his attention to the gruesome creation.

Seishirou was stirring inside his tube. His eyes opened and Subaru could feel his gaze burning on his face. A tiny crack appeared in the glass tube. Then another. The cracks branched out and spread into a fine lattice until the glass could no longer hold its structure. The tube shattered and green liquid spilled out onto the floor. Seishirou emerged dripping wet, stepped over the shards of broken glass and towards the horrified man who was strapped down helplessly.

"Hello, Subaru," he said with a very subtle smile. "It's been a while."

To be continued…


	6. Homecoming

I finished this chapter with some help from the weather. Snow days are perfect for writing. This chapter catches up with Midori, Fuuma, and the remaining dragons. A father-daughter reunion isn't too far away, but of course it won't be smooth sailing. I hope anyone who is reading this fanfiction is enjoying it.

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 5: Homecoming

Despite her most charming pleas, Midori was ordered by her caretakers to stay and rest for another day before departing. Deep down she knew that the two women acted out of concern for her, but that was little consolation to her when faced with the delay in finding her father. Also, being of the motherly nurturing sort, Michiko and Mimi insisted that the injured young girl travel only halfway to Tokyo by train, and have an escort meet her to take her the rest of the way. This meant that Midori had no choice but to call the only name in her pretty pink planner.

The phone call itself had been awkward enough. Now she was so nervous that her palms were sweating, just knowing that Professor Munou would be the one to greet her at Shizuoka Station. But she wasn't as scared as she thought she would be, at least not in regard to her handsome teacher. Most of her anxiety, Midori realized, was coming from the baffling and terrifying events of the past two days. Compared to the abduction of her only family, even her biggest crush seemed of minor importance.

When the train stopped and she saw him standing on the platform, however, her heart still managed to beat a bit harder. Professor Munou was dressed in casual clothing, which made him look like an ordinary man instead of a respected educator. As Midori exited the rain car and walked towards her escort she could see that his face was colored with concern. It made her feel guilty that she had called him all the way out to get her. But then, she didn't really have any other options.

"Good afternoon, Miss Sumeragi," Fuuma greeted in his usual polite tone. "Do you have any bags you need to pick up?"

"Good afternoon, Professor," she replied shyly. "I don't have any bags, just what I'm carrying."

"You travel light," he said, cocking his head curiously. "Well, if there's nothing else you need to take care of here we can head back to the car… Unless you'd like to get something to eat first."

"Oh… uh, that's okay. I'm not hungry." It was a lie. Midori really was hungry. But her heart was already racing and her hands were damp with perspiration. She felt that sharing lunch with Professor Munou might very well kill her, and she needed to stay alive if she was going to find her dad.

"Uh, Professor Munou?" she asked as they approached his blue Toyota. He smiled a bit awkwardly at her.

"We're not in class right now, you don't have to call me Professor," he said. "Mr. Munou is just fine."

A warm blush seeped into Midori's cheeks. "R-right," she said. Then, remembering what she was going to say, she bowed humbly. "Mr. Munou, I just wanted to thank you for coming all the way out to Shizuoka to pick me up. I'm so grateful. And if there's anything I can do to make it up to you, anything at all, just name it and I'll do it."

Fuuma chuckled a bit at his student's excessive bowing. "Just get straight A's in my class, alright?"

"I'll try my best," she responded. Then she got into the passenger door that he had graciously opened for her and buckled her seatbelt.

The first half-hour of their car ride passed in silence. Mr. Munou didn't even venture to ask how his student wound up stranded alone in the country, or why her head was wrapped in a bandage. So it was up to Midori to offer the information on her own and clear the air.

"I suppose you're probably wondering how I got myself into this mess." As she spoke Midori was visually nervous, twisting the hem of her t-shirt in her hands. "You see, my dad and I were traveling on the train to Kyoto. Then these guys in suits attacked us and… They kidnapped him… and they left me for dead."

"Left you for dead?" Fuuma asked in shock.

"Yeah," Midori replied. "I was lucky though. Two very nice women found me and took care of me. I owe them my life, but…"

"You miss your dad," Fuuma intuitively completed her sentence. "Did you call the police?"

"No," Midori sighed. "These people who took my dad, they weren't… normal. They were supernatural. I don't think the police would even know how to deal with them."

"Supernatural, eh?" said Fuuma thoughtfully. "I guess it does make sense, though. You're descended from a long line of onmyouji, aren't you Miss Sumeragi?"

"Uh, yes. That's right." The young woman wasn't that surprised that her teacher knew about her family. After all, the Sumeragi Clan was very well known. "My dad is the current head of the family. He's very powerful. It's hard to imagine that anyone would be able to abduct him."

"It doesn't matter how they did it," said Fuuma bluntly. "All that matters is how you go about rescuing him. Do you even have a plan?"

Midori looked at him in awe. Mr. Munou's directness and honesty was one of the things she liked best about him. Still, he managed to surprise her by saying exactly what she needed to hear when others would have probably held back.

"Well," she began. "I wanted to get back home first. I need to get in touch with my dad's friends. Mr. Aoki and Mrs. Shiyuu have powers too. And they've known him longer than anyone. Beyond that, though… I guess I don't have a plan."

"You've got more of a plan than most people in your situation would have," said Fuuma. "Though, I'm not sure many people have ever been in this situation before."

It didn't seem to take much longer for the unlikely pair to arrive in Tokyo. It was already evening and the colored lights of the city twinkled and glowed in the reflections in the windows.

"So, Miss Sumeragi, where do you want me to drop you off?" asked Fuuma. "Are you going to stay at a friends house?"

Midori blushed in embarrassment. "Actually, my only close friends are out of town right now. I was just going to stay at me and my dad's apartment."

"Alone?" Fuuma asked, astonished.

"Yeah, I guess I would be alone," the passenger admitted.

"Out of the question," the driver replied. "You shouldn't be spending this time alone in an empty apartment. Miss Sumeragi, you've been through quite an ordeal and I don't think it's safe for you to be on your own tonight. We'll stop by your apartment so you can get anything you need, but tonight you're staying at my house."

At the apartment, Midori grabbed pajamas and a change of clothes as well as her toothbrush and Subaru's address book. Her heart was pounding in her throat the entire time. _I should have just lied_, she thought to herself. _I'll never be able to concentrate on what's important now._ As the car headed towards Mr. Munou's home Midori sat silently in the passenger seat, too afraid to even make eye contact with him. When the car finally rolled to a stop it was in front of a beautiful shrine.

"You live here?" the girl gasped.

"Togakushi Shrine," stated Fuuma. "Home sweet home."

He directed her up the stone path that led to the main house. Midori never had any idea that her teacher lived in a place like this, which proved that he was still, very much, a mystery. From the outside the house seemed rather small and plain, but inside it was very spacious and welcoming. Midori wondered if he lived here all by himself. Mr. Munou led her down the hallway and stopped in front of a door.

"You can stay here in my sister's room," he told her. "The bath is down at the very end of the hallway. Now, I'm going to make something to eat. It should be ready in about a half an hour."

"Thank you very," she replied kindly. "But… uh, do you think your sister will mind me staying in her room."

"She wont mind," said Fuuma. "She passed away… many years ago."

"Oh," said Midori. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," he replied softly. "I've made my peace with it. She was a very generous person and I'm sure she'd be happy to know that her room was being used."

"Well, I guess I'd better go make some phone calls… to tell someone where I am…" she sheepishly replied.

An hour later Midori was climbing into bed, her body clean after a hot bath and her belly full of Mr. Munou's delicious oden. She had called both Mr. Aoki and Mrs. Shiyuu, emphasizing that it was an emergency but supplying only vague details. Both were cutting their family vacations short to come home and Midori had to force herself not to feel guilty. After all, Subaru's life was at stake.

It wasn't all that late yet and she wasn't quite ready to go to sleep, so Midori scanned the room around her and tried to guess what Mr. Munou's sister had been like. The color scheme of the room was a bit girly for her tastes, mostly pale pinks and blues. Above the bed there was a painting of horses in a meadow and all the furniture was delicately carved from pale wood. _She must have been young when she died_, thought Midori. Then she yawned and reached over to turn off the lamp on the bedside table, but as she did her hand knocked over a framed photo.

"Oops," she said to herself as she picked it up. The photograph was of three young children, two boys and a girl, dressed in yukata and smiling widely. Midori recognized the taller boy immediately as a very young Mr. Munou, already showing signs of his budding good looks. The little girl, she realized, had to be his little sister. She was gorgeous, golden curls hanging around her sweet face like a halo. The only mystery was the little boy holding her hand, who had piercing blue eyes and an innocent expression that reminded Midori of her father. Did Mr. Munou have a little brother too?

Midori gingerly replaced the picture on the table, turned out the light, and finally closed her eyes to sleep. She thought about love and loss. About the little boy who had been taken from Michiko Arisugawa. About Mr. Munou's sister who had died young. But mostly she thought about her dad, hoping that wherever he was he wasn't in pain. She finally did get to sleep, but it wasn't a peaceful sleep. All night long her dreams were haunted by the face of a little boy with piercing blue eyes.

Fuuma made omelets with rice for breakfast. Midori made sure to get dressed before coming out of her room. It wouldn't be appropriate for her teacher to see her in pajamas. She trudged the kitchen groggily, but by the time she had finished chewing the last yummy bite of egg she was feeling quite awake. Under different circumstances Midori would be keyed up to tell Maki all about Mr. Munou's omelets. Instead she felt anxious and impatient. The doorbell rang and Fuuma excused himself to answer it.

"Alright, where is she?" The shrill voice from the doorway was so loud it could easily be heard in the kitchen. It was Mrs. Shiyuu, and she sounded furious.

"I'm right here," said Midori as she emerged into the hallway. Seeing her calmed the angry pregnant woman a bit. She relaxed her shoulders and pulled the young lady into a dramatic embrace.

"Oh sweet little 'Dori! You're alright," she wailed. "When I heard that this is where you were… well, I was really worried for your safety."

"You really didn't have to worry," Midori replied as she pried herself from Yuzuriha's bear hug. "Mr. Munou was a total gentleman. Nothing inappropriate happened."

"I still don't think it's proper for a young female student to be alone with her male teacher at his house. But I guess it's too late for me to complain. Go ahead and collect your stuff, dear. We're going over to the Aoki household to discuss everything that's happened."

As Midori scampered back to Kotori's room to get her belongings Fuuma spoke privately to Yuzuriha, who was once again irate.

"Ma'am, if you don't mind, I'd like to come with you," he said. "Miss Sumeragi told me about what happened to her father and I'm very concerned."

"I think you've done enough!" she spat back.

"Well," he said, unfazed by what he assumed was just hormonal moodiness. "If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask. The welfare of my students means a lot to me."

By now, Midori had returned and was watching as Yuzuriha shot Fuuma a death glare. There was something beyond anger in her normally sweet brown eyes. There was hate. As hard as it was to believe that Mrs. Shiyuu could _hate_ anybody, it was even harder to believe that she could hate Mr. Munou. Had her teacher done something terrible that Midori didn't know about?

"I'm ready," she interjected. Then she turned to thank Fuuma, but Yuzuriha yanked her out the door by her arm before she could finish.

The Shiyuu family car was idling outside, with the imposing Kusanagi behind the wheel. Midori knew that Yuzuriha's burly husband was a gentle giant, however. It was the passengers in the backseat that had her dreading the ride. Shinya and his little sister Izumi were engaged in an energetic tug-of-war over the stuffed bunny he had won at the festival last week and exchanging crude names.

"Give 'im back you stupid dog fart!" the little girl squealed.

"I won him you booger!" her brother barked back. That's when Izumi saw her mother returning with their extra guest. She immediately relinquished the toy and greeted them.

"Hey Mommy! Hey "Dori!"

"Hey Midori…" Shinya drawled slyly. "You get to sit next to me…" It was going to be a long ride.

It was comforting to see Maki again, though Midori didn't have much time to catch up with her. She had been at the Aoki's house scarcely five minutes before Sei'ichirou and Yuzuriha called a meeting of all the adults and Miss Sumeragi in the living room.

"How come 'Dori gets to stay, but me an' Izumi an' Maki hafta go play outside?" whined Shinya.

"Because she's directly involved," his mother answered. "Now run along and try not to fight with your sister."

As Yuzuriha shooed the other kids, Midori gave Maki an 'I'll-tell-you-everything' wink. Then she politely sat down in a comfy armchair surrounded by Sei'ichirou, Yuzuriha, Kusanagi, and Sei'ichiro's wife. Shimako Aoki had not been directly involved with the end of the world, but she was always an active participant in her husband's life. So, one last time, Midori gave the detailed account of what happened during that fateful train ride. When she had finished, a contemplative pause followed.

"You say these people wore black suits," somebody said. Surprisingly, it was Kusanagi. "And they wore armbands?" The young girl nodded and he continued. "Do you remember if there was any writing or symbols on their armbands?"

"I-It was a cherry blossom, I think… with a capital R in the middle." Midori's voice was still shaky from reliving the event.

Kusanagi scratched his chin with a massive hand. "I think I've seen that logo before."

"When?" his wife asked eagerly. "Where?"

"Underground," he answered solemnly. "Beneath the Government Building. One of the few times I went there I remember seeing some people dressed in black with armbands. But they passed through a secure door before I could get a really good look. Still, I think that symbol was on them."

Everyone in the room except Midori knew what Kusanagi meant by 'beneath the Government Building. He was referring to the headquarters of the Dragons of Earth, of which he had once been a member. The statement made Yuzuriha and Sei'ichirou uncomfortably aware that Kusanagi had once been allied to their enemies.

"Well, then I think we should go there," said Midori, interrupting the silence. "Do you know how to get there?"

"Slow down," said Mr. Aoki. "I'm not sure that what Mr. Shiyuu just told us is enough to go on."

"But it's all we've got," Midori protested. "My dad could be behind that door, just waiting for us to rescue him. Or worse, he could be in trouble! And every minute we spend here talking…" She couldn't finish her sentence as tears squeezed out of her eyes.

"I agree with her," said Yuzuriha. "It's the only lead we have and we should follow it. We won't find Subaru by sitting on our butts. Mr. Aoki and Kusanagi should head to the government building as soon as they can."

"And I'm coming too!" Midori chimed in.

Kusanagi shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not quite that easy. The door that these people passed through was very protected. I don't have access to it."

"So it's a dead end?" asked Yuzuriha.

"Well, not exactly," her husband answered. "There is one person who I know can get us through that door. But I'm not sure he'd be eager to help us. After all, you were pretty rude to him today, honey."

Yuzuriha's face reddened as she realized whom he was talking about. But in her heart, she knew that Subaru was more important than her residual fear and anger. For his sake, she would have to apologize to Fuuma Munou, and convince him to help their cause.

To be continued…


	7. Discovery

I'm on spring break right now (joy!) and that means more time to write! So here's a new chapter. I hope you enjoy it. As always, thank you for all the kind comments. Your support means so much to me. Also, slightly off topic, my birthday last week was really great! I'm 21 at last!

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 6: Discovery

"Hello Subaru. It's been awhile."

The voice was much more vitriolic than Subaru remembered, and yet it was unquestionably that of Seishirou. This creature not only looked like the Sakurazukamori, he sounded like him too. And he knew Subaru's name. He stood there in black drawstring pants that were still dripping with the green liquid he had emerged from, as was his dark hair. It was as if the grave had opened and released him back amongst the living. And yet… something was wrong, Subaru knew it.

"You… your eye," the baffled medium uttered, addressing Seishirou directly. "The Seishirou I knew lost his right eye protecting me. If you were really cloned from his flesh, both of your eyes should be restored. But you… you're missing your _left_ eye."

Seishirou's cunning expression melted into one of confusion. An emotion Subaru had never seen the real Seishirou communicate. His brow furrowed over his mismatched eyes, one brown and the other silvery white. Then his gaze shifted to his creators.

"There is a logical explanation I assure you," the scientist Elizabeth Silver stated calmly. "When I first created him, Seishirou here did have two perfectly intact eyes. We simply had to remove one of them in order to fit him with the implant."

"Implant?" asked Subaru curiously.

"Yes," Silver responded. "Implanted in his left eye-socket is a delicate device containing all of Sakurazuka's personality data and memories… Or rather, his memories that I felt he should retain to ensure he is just as willing and talented as the original. It is in the left eye so that when he looks in any mirror he will see who he was meant to be."

"You didn't know the Sakurazukamori," Subaru sneered. "How could you know what memories he should have? You're sick."

"I thought you'd be a bit more happy to see me," said Seishirou. Apparently Silver's speech had been enough to satisfy his programmed brain. "After all these years, dear Subaru, I can finally grant you your wish."

With that, Seishirou raised his hand and aimed his fingertips, like a sword, at Subaru's heart. The onmyouji pulled with all of his might against his restraints, the metal cutting into his arms and legs. Shear determination gave him seemingly unnatural strength and the fetters finally broke, releasing him just as Seishirou's hand pierced the spot where he had been lying.

As soon as Subaru had rolled off of the stretcher he fell to his knees, too weak and dizzy from lack of blood. Seishirou was now trying to free his hand, which was lodged firmly through the center of the bed, and Subaru used the time to carefully pluck the IV needles from his arms.

"What's the matter?" Seishirou asked. "Wasn't it your wish to have your life taken by the hand of Sakurazuka?"

"That was my dream at one time," Subaru answered. "But that was a long time ago… And you're not Seishirou!" He paused and closed his eyes before continuing. "The real Seishirou Sakurazuka couldn't grant me my wish… he couldn't go through with it. In the end, he gave up his own life so that I would go on living. It was not what I would have chosen, but I could not question his decision."

"I remember," Seishirou spoke slowly, reaching out and stroking Subaru's chin. "I remember your dear sister bleeding in my arms, muttering her last spell. I remember the exquisite pain of your hand piercing my heart. Whether you accept it or not, I am Seishirou."

In that moment, Subaru became rapt in the illusion. Tired and anemic, he let his heart believe for just a moment that this really was the man whose life had long been bound to his, that the past fourteen years had all been a prolonged trance. He closed his eyes and leaned into Seishirou's consoling touch.

"Would you like me to grant that wish now?" Seishirou asked softly. "I can make all your pain go away, Subaru. Just say the word… you can join your sister…"

"And that little brat of yours too," the long-silent Tetsuo Ishida added. He realized, seconds too late, that saying this was a critical error. Subaru's eyes shot open, his sense of reality instantly restored. With a growl, he wrenched Seishirou's hand from his face.

"Impostor!" he barked. "Seishirou is dead! And the only reason you exist is to commit murder in his name! And you two," he snarled, turning to Ishida and Silver. "You two made this monstrosity, and the blood of everyone he kills will be on your hands as well!"

The wicked pair and their creation were all three taken aback by the hostage's sudden eruption of courage. They could see by his shaky attempt to stand, however, that Subaru was still very feeble. His outburst was an act of desperation. Yet, he refused to back down. With newfound purpose burning in his eyes, the medium struggled to his feet and steadied himself by holding on to the bed he had been previously confined to.

"I'll see to it that you pay for your sins against nature," he continued. "I won't let Midori's death be in vain… My new wish is to destroy you!"

Seishirou clucked his tongue. "I'm afraid that's a wish that will go unfulfilled. Now say goodbye to this life, dear Subaru Sumeragi."

Once again, the assassin poised his hands to strike and once again, he missed his target. This time, however, it was nothing the medium did that saved his life. In the blink of an eye a small explosion occurred between the Sakurazukamori and his prey and Subaru found himself yanked roughly from his place and being carried swiftly away. It took him a minute to realize that he was slung unceremoniously over the shoulder of a rapidly running individual. It was a young man, no older than eighteen, with a mop of strawberry blonde hair and clad in the standard Ressurectors uniform.

"Who are you?" Subaru asked, baffled.

"My name is Ken," the boy answered. "And I'm here to help you."

* * *

Four passengers stood in silence as the elevator plunged ever downward. Midori felt like a dwarf alongside the three grown men who accompanied her. Sei'ichirou Aoki, Kusanagi Shiyuu, and Fuuma Munou had all come with the young girl on this mission to recover her father and she couldn't help but sense a bit of low-level tension between them. 

"This place must be at the center of the earth," she said nervously, trying to lighten the mood.

"We have been in this elevator for a long time," Fuuma responded, chuckling slightly. "I'm happy to help, of course. But I am a bit curious as to why you changed your mind all of the sudden and decided to invite me along."

Mr. Aoki opened his mouth to answer but the elevator creaked to a shaky stop before he could say anything. It was for the better, as Aoki hadn't actually come up with a decent explanation. The party shuffled out cautiously, with Kusanagi in the lead because he was the only one who had been here before. Or rather, he was the only one who _remembered_ having been here. In front of them was a single door, which the former Dragon of Earth opened with a card-key Kanoe had given him.

"They probably use a different entrance," the massive man informed the group. "I don't think anyone has been down here for a long time."

"I think you're right," Midori agreed, coughing as dust billowed out from the opened door. "Say, is there by any chance a light switch around here?"

"I think I feel one on the wall here," said Aoki. A second latter bright light filled the space around them revealing a cavernous chamber. A collective gasp escaped the throats of the three onlookers who were not familiar with this room.

"Whoa! What in the world is that?" Fuuma asked as he stared at a twisted mass of rusty dusty metal.

"That," Kusanagi said calmly, "was the super-computer known as the Beast."

"The Beast?" Midori asked, wrinkling her nose. "Mr. Shiyuu, what exactly was this place used for? And come to think of it, what are Dragons of Earth? You mentioned them back at Maki's house."

"Uh…" Kusanagi's face took on a somewhat nervous expression as he tried to think of the words he could use. "The Dragons of Earth were a group of people who did some… some pretty bad things, and I was unfortunately associated with them."

"So it was a gang?" Midori inquired.

Kusanagi thought about for a minute before answering. "That's actually a pretty accurate description. Now, the door should be over there." He pointed towards the far end of the room and there was indeed a large metal door. While the three men walked casually towards it, the teenage girl bounded ahead enthusiastically.

"Come on! Let's go!" she shouted. "He could be right behind that door! Hang on Dad, I'm coming!"

The door was locked tight, of course, but there was a flat glass panel on the wall next to it. It was a handprint identification grid. Mr. Aoki and Mr. Shiyuu both tried pressing their hands on the grid but nothing happened.

"You should try it, Mr. Munou," said Kusanagi politely.

"Alright," Fuuma responded skeptically. "But I don't know why you think it will open for me."

He placed his hand on the grid and, to his great shock, the thick door slid open with a mechanical whir. Both he and Midori blinked several times in surprise before continuing through the door. Inside was a long hallway that ended in another door, just like the first one only there was a keypad in addition to the handprint grid.

"Looks like this one needs a password," said Kusanagi. "Any ideas about what it could be?"

"How about 'Kamui'?" Aoki suggested thoughtfully.

"Ka-Kamui?" Fuuma gasped. "That was the name of my best friend when I was a kid. Why would his name be the password?"

"Please, just try it," Aoki pleaded.

Fuuma reluctantly palmed the grid and typed 'Kamui' into the keypad. The door opened and the party moved to go through, but Fuuma stood in the doorway, arm outstretched, blocking their path. His expression was grim and serious.

"Okay," he said bluntly. "It's time for you to tell me exactly what's going on. And I want the truth."

Ken's getaway came to an abrupt stop in front of a white door. He ducked inside and dropped Subaru rather roughly to the floor.

"Ow," he complained, rubbing his head. "You didn't have to drop me."

"Sorry," said Ken. "But you could try to be a little grateful. After all, I did just save your life."

"You just delayed the inevitable," Subaru sighed. "I have to face that Seishirou clone-bot sooner or later."

Ken snorted disdainfully. "You wouldn't have fared too well in your current condition. You're as weak as a kitten. You need to rest and eat something before you face him."

"Why do you care so what happens to me?" asked Subaru. "I can tell by your clothes that you're one of them."

"You'll just have to trust me," the mysterious young man answered. "Right now I'm the only friend you've got, Subaru Sumeragi."

Subaru's eyes widened, but he did not ask how Ken knew his name. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and leaned against a wall. Ken reached into the pocket of his black jacket and retrieved something. At first Subaru thought it was a gun and that Ken intended to kill him. Then Ken handed the object to him and Subaru realized that it was a bar of chocolate.

"It's all I have," said Ken. "It's not much, but at least it's food. You should eat it."

"Uh, thanks," said Subaru.

"Stay here," Ken added. "You'll be safe in this room for awhile. I'm going to stand guard outside." Then he vanished out the door, closing it behind him.

Subaru stayed put on the floor, slowly savoring the chocolate as his eyes adjusted to the darkened room. He wondered who Ken really was and what his true motives were, and before long the medium was feeling a lot stronger. He looked around the room curiously. It was a small room, reminiscent of a doctor's office. There was even a hospital bed in the middle and a metal cart like the kind that held surgical equipment.

With his vigor quickly returning, Subaru got to his feet. His stomach lurched. This room was wholly unsettling, and it wasn't just because of the bizarre vestiges of medical equipment. It took a few minutes before he put his finger on it, but when Subaru realized why the room disturbed him he gasped in alarm.

"I've been here before!" he breathed. "I don't know how, but I'm sure I've been in this exact room before. The bed, the cart, the file cabinet… it's all perfectly stored in my head… but how?"

Then he had another sudden epiphany. He hadn't visited this room in real life. He had visited it in the mind of a frightened young woman. Years ago Subaru had delved into the subconscious of a scared pregnant girl, in the hope of ending the horrific nightmares that plagued her. What he had discovered in the girl's mind was a vision of herself strapped to this very bed, legs splayed as people in surgical scrubs did things to her too gruesome to describe. Back then, Subaru never imagined that it was a true memory. He had simply exorcised it from the young woman's mind. Now, terrified, he had to know more.

He scrambled to the file cabinet, wrenched it open, and began frantically leafing through the files. There was a single folder labeled with the name of the young woman. Subaru's hands trembled as he opened it and began reading the documents it contained. The heading on the first page made his skin crawl: record of artificial insemination. Tetsuo Ishida's words echoed in his head; "We tried other ways to revive the Sakurazuka line… everything from sorcery to artificial insemination." Subaru continued to read, even though he was afraid of what he might find out.

By the time he finished reading the documents, Subaru's body was numb with shock. "I was wrong," he muttered to himself. "All these years… I've been totally wrong. I can't believe it… Midori's biological father is… _was_ Seishirou…" Then he sank to the floor and wept uncontrollably.

To be continued…


	8. Rescue

Reunited at last! By the end of this chapter, father and daughter will be reunited… though that doesn't mean their troubles will be over… I just realized that I have put a lot of original characters into this story. Ken is the last one… I promise ; 

There's more to Ken that meets the eye, though. I'm not sure how much of his back-story will make it into this fic… I can tell you that he's connected to the Dragons of Heaven and Earth somehow though. Anyway, thanks for the feedback and I hope you enjoy this new chapter… it was a long time coming… Okay, a very long time. Also, I had to make a very small correction to the prologue. The story takes place in 2014, not 2013. Sorry about the mistake.

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 7: Rescue

_Shit_, Ken thought to himself as he looked furtively down the hallway, to the left and then the right. _What have I gotten myself into?_

Although the young man was a member of the secret organization _Ressurectors_, he was in no way loyal to their leader or to their ideals. Ken had joined for his own reasons, which, until recently, had not included Subaru Sumeragi. Now the teenager found himself risking his life for the sake of the captured onmyouji. Ken possessed some spiritual powers of his own, not enough to stand in a fight against Seishirou, but enough to put a seal on the door he was guarding. What Subaru needed now was time to recover and regenerate. Ken could at least give him that.

The hall was dead silent. It had been over an hour now without any sign of Seishirou or his creators. It appeared that the trio had not even pursued Subaru. Ken, however, knew better. He knew that Ishida was planning something sinister and getting Mr. Sumeragi out of headquarters alive would be a dangerous task. He didn't want to wait too long, however, and after some quiet deliberation he decided to get Subaru and make their escape. What he discovered upon opening the door stunned him.

In the corner of the darkened room sat Subaru, knees drawn up to his chest, hands covering his face. Ken couldn't get over how small and vulnerable the supposedly all-powerful onmyouji seemed. But there was no time now to let Subaru sit and cry any longer. They had to move now.

"Sumeragi, come on!" the younger man said in an urgent whisper. "The coast is clear. If you're strong enough then we should run for it."

The man in the corner said nothing. He merely raised his face and stared at Ken with icy detachment. The young blonde shuddered. This was his first good look at Subaru Sumeragi and his frighteningly mismatched eyes, and it scared him. After a long pregnant pause Subaru finally got to his feet. "Alright, let's go," said Ken. But Subaru wasn't paying attention to him. He brushed past the young _Ressurector_ and stalked purposefully out the door. Ken trailed after him.

"Where the hell're you going, Sumeragi?" he huffed as Subaru strode down the hallway. "You're going the wrong way! That way leads back to the laboratory! Ishida and Silver are probably there just waiting to ambush you!"

"I'm counting on it," Subaru replied coldly without even looking back.

"Ah, look who's back!" Ishida's sinister drawl was unmistakable as Subaru stepped back into the cavernous lab. "And we didn't even have to chase after him."

Subaru looked around. Mr. Ishida and Dr. Silver stood casually in the middle of the room, as if Ken and Subaru's previous escape hadn't even stirred them. Something was different, however. Someone was missing. Seishirou.

"Where is he?" the medium growled, walking right up, face-to-face, with Ishida. "Where's Seishirou?"

"I'm afraid he stepped out," Ishida answered. "Had some business to attend to. He should be back soon, though. Believe me, I am quite eager to see you two' duke it out,' as they say. Now that you've regained your health it should be quite a fiiiiiii…"

Before Tetsuo Ishida could finish his sentence Subaru's hand shot out and grasped his throat, silencing him.

"Sorry to disappoint you," he growled. "But I've changed my mind. I no longer plan to kill Seishirou… I do have something I want to say to you, though. And I want him to hear it too…"

As if on cue, the ominous sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the room and all of the hairs on the back of Subaru's neck stood on end. He didn't even have to turn around to know that Seishirou had entered the laboratory. Exhaling slowly, Subaru relinquished his severe grip on Tetsuo's throat and the breathless criminal sank to the floor with a gasp. Ms. Silver, however, quickly helped him to his feet.

"Welcome back," she said, addressing her creation. "I take it your first assignment was a success?"

"Aye," Seishirou responded, though his gaze was fixed on Subaru. The biomechanical assassin was now clad in a handsome black suit, just like the real Sakurazuka had once worn. With a pair of dark sunglasses hiding the anomaly in his eyes, this man-machine hybrid was indistinguishable from the man Subaru had known. The gentle _plip plip_ sound of dripping liquid touched Subaru's ears and he stared, horrified at its source. Thick red liquid coated Seishirou's hand and dripped off of his fingertips, pooling around his shiny black shoes. Blood.

"You… You've already killed somebody…" Subaru gasped. Sakurazuka didn't answer. He merely stood there as if he couldn't speak his own thoughts.

"Of course he's already killed somebody," Ishida sneered. "That's his only purpose."

"But why didn't he…" Subaru began, but Ishida interrupted him

"Why didn't he go after you? Simple. Because I didn't tell him to. I knew you would be coming back, even if that brat had gotten you out of here… your connection to Sakurazuka was sure to draw you back. So why waste time chasing after you when there are important people to be killed? He does whatever I tell him, you know. The perfect, mindless killing machine."

Within an instant, Subaru was back in Ishida's face, gripping his shoulders with talon-like hands, nostrils flared in rage.

"So is that why you killed her?" he spat. "Because she had a mind of her own and couldn't be used as your pawn?"

"Who the hell are you talking about?" Ishida snorted, narrowing his eyes indignantly.

"You know who I mean!" Subaru barked, his anger reaching a new peak. "My daughter! Or, I should say, Seishirou's daughter!"

At this, Ishida's eyes widened and even the impassive scientist, Dr, Elizabeth Silver, took on an expression of pure shock.

"What is he talking about?" she asked softly. But Subaru gave his reply loud and clear.

"You mean you didn't tell her? You didn't tell your partner in crime that the little girl you murdered was the product of _your_ artificial insemination experiment? Carried out on an innocent woman?" Subaru's eyes grew moist as his fury mixed with grief. "You made her and then you destroyed her! To you she was just another failed experiment! Midori… Midori and her mother weren't even human beings to you!"

Ishida's reply was slightly confused, but still calm. "I don't know what you're talking about. The insemination project never resulted in any live births, so we abandoned it. How you got the idea that that girl was Seishirou's daughter is beyond me."

Subaru lunged forward, shoving Ishida to the ground with a scream. "Liar!" Then he turned to Seishirou, who was watching everything unfold silently. "He'll do the same thing to you. If there is any trace of humanity in you, do not take orders from this man. The minute you outlive your usefulness he will dispose of you like a piece of trash."

"You're wasting your breath," Silver interrupted. "Seishirou has no will of his own. You can't reason with him. It's all programmed into that device in his eye. Seishirou can only do what Tetsuo or I tells him to… and he can't feel any emotions…"

"Let's end this now!" Ishida growled, rubbing his bruised skull. "Seishirou! Kill him now!"

That was all the encouragement the assassin needed and he quickly advanced upon his prey. With minimal effort, he had Subaru backed into a corner.

"What's wrong with you?" a voice shouted from across the room. It was Ken. "Fight back, Sumeragi! It's your only hope!"

"Shut up you traitorous worm!" Ishida yelled back at him. "And I would run if I were you, because you're the Sakurazukamori's next victim!"

Subaru refused to fight back, and continued to try to talk to his enemy, even when he had no escape route left. Seishirou was now mere inches from his face, a grin of pure bloodlust on his lips. "Please, Seishirou," he pleaded desperately. "Please, if any part of the real Seishirou exists in you, stop this now! You don't have to kill anyone else! Don't sink to the level of these criminals! These criminals who slaughtered your own daughter!"

Seishirou's hand had been raised and ready to deal its fatal strike, but as Subaru spoke his last plea, the deadly hand fell back at his side. Subaru, who had been prepared to die, as well as Ishida, Silver, and Ken all watched Sakurazuka in a mix of awe and horror as he clutched his artificial left eye and dropped to his knees.

"… My… daughter…" he spoke in sickly staggered speech. Then he let out a primordial howl that sent shivers down the spines of everyone watching.

"What the hell is going on, woman? What's wrong with him?" Ishida screamed desperately at his partner. "You said he had no will of his own! I didn't tell him to do that!"

"I don't know what's happening," the scientist answered, her voice just as shaky and panicked as his. Regaining some composure, she barked another order at Seishirou. "Get up and kill Subaru Sumeragi! Now! Do not listen to his words! Just destroy him! And try to cause him as much pain as possible!"

The artificial Seishirou, who had seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, listened to the order, then got up and dusted himself off. He seemed reluctant, but he couldn't resist his masters' voices.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, or at least Subaru thought he whispered. Then, with lightning reflexes, his hand shot out and struck Subaru in the abdomen. He didn't pierce his victim's flesh, however. Instead he dug his fingernails deep into Subaru's belly, twisting as he did, until Subaru felt himself turning inside out with pain and let out an anguished scream.

* * *

"Okay, it's time for you to tell me exactly what's going on. And I want the truth." 

Kusanagi and Sei'ichirou were surprised and dumbfounded by Fuuma's bold demand. Midori, however, was curious. All evidence seemed to indicate that Mr. Munou had been deeply involved with this evil organization. And yet he apparently had no knowledge of it. Fuuma's stare was penetrating, but Mr. Aoki finally managed to speak up and attempt an explanation. His voice was calm and deliberate.

"I don't quite know how to say this… Many years ago a very evil man stole your identity and used it to commit terrible atrocities in your name. And he did this without you ever knowing."

"But you knew," Fuuma accused. "And how did you know about this evil man? And why? Why did he choose me? And how did poor Kamui get involved? This just… none of this adds up."

"I wish I knew the answers to all of those questions," said Aoki. "But the truth is…"

Before the baffled wind-master could think of an answer, however, a bloodcurdling scream echoed down the corridor ahead of them. Midori recognized the voice immediately.

"Dad!" she gasped, dashing recklessly forward. The young lady easily slipped past Fuuma's barricade and through the doorway, leaving her older companions to scramble after her.

"Wait Midori!" Kusanagi shouted. "We should proceed with caution." All three men knew, however, that such reasoning was pointless. There was no caution now. It was time for quick action, so the small team charged onward.

_He's alive!_ thought Midori as she ran down the long hallway. _He's alive and he's in pain!_ Her head was filled with the pounding of her own heart and the rhythmic slapping of her sneakers on the concrete floor. No matter how hard she tried to force her legs, she couldn't seem to run any faster. _Hang on Dad! I'm coming!_

At its end, the hall opened up into another huge room and Midori slowed to stop. She stood there breathing heavily, framed in the doorway and looking in awe at the huge laboratory in front of her. For a moment she was too shocked at the sight to enter, but she quickly snapped back into action when she caught sight of the person she loved most, collapsed in a pitiful heap in the far corner.

"Dad!" she cried without thinking first as she ran into the room. Instantaneously, Ishida and Silver spun around at the sound of the interloper.

"You!" Ishida roared. "You're supposed to be dead, little girl!"

Midori didn't waste any time in explaining how she survived their previous encounter. Instead she immediate inquired after Subaru. "What have you done to him? Why isn't he moving?" She wanted so badly to run over to his side, but Ishida and a woman she had never seen were standing in her way.

"I'll just have to kill you again!" the dark-suited man yelled. Then he snapped his fingers as he had before and his cronies Takashi and Ritsuko appeared, along with about a half-dozen other anonymous _Ressurectors_. By now, however, the adolescent girl was not alone. Midori had been joined by three adult men who stood beside her in solidarity.

"We'll take these guys," Aoki told her confidently. "You go to your father."

"Alright," she answered, though her trembling voice gave away how scared she was. "And good luck." She took a deep breath and was prepared to run when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder and turned to see who it was. "Mr. Munou."

"I've got your back," he said, smiling kindly even though he hadn't gotten any answers to his questions. In his other hand was a long piece of metal pipe that he must have picked up from the floor. "Let's go, Miss Sumeragi."

The pair took off through the crowd of villains, Midori using her size and speed to dodge the foes, and Fuuma using his makeshift sword to beat them away from her. Meanwhile, Sei'ichirou and Kusanagi were fighting the black-suits in their own styles. Aoki raised his hand and a swirl of razor sharp wind whirled around him and whipped out to strike a hapless flunky. The man groaned and then was reduced to a small piece of paper.

"They're not real!" Aoki gasped. "They're just paper spells, Kusanagi! They shouldn't be too hard to take out!"

Mr. Shiyuu was just discovering this on his own. He had decided not to use his control of earth in this fight, as it might damage the building, and was fighting with shear physical strength. The massive man picked up an enemy by the collar and threw him roughly against a wall, turning him back into paper.

Midori and Fuuma were making their way across the room when Takashi and Ritsuko, the two named henchmen, jumped out in front of them.

"I'm going to strangle you to death with my bare hands," the female soldier growled.

"You'll keep your hands off of her!" Fuuma roared back. "Run, Miss Sumeragi! Leave these two to me!" In a truly awe-inspiring display, Mr. Munou twirled and swung his sword in perfect form. Aoki and Shiyuu, who had effectively eliminated the rest of the enemies, watched wide-eyed. These two enemies were clearly a cut above the rest, but Fuuma was handling them splendidly. Within a minute, both were unconscious on the floor. "I guess those two weren't paper after all. Oh, and I guess I forgot to mention that I've studied kendo since I was five."

The former Dragons didn't have much time to savor their victory, however. Seeing how the trio laid waste to his first batch of henchmen, Ishida snapped his fingers again and summoned a second wave of paper spell warriors. The wind-master, the earth-master, and the kendo-master all snapped back into action. And there was a new person who had joined the fray. Aoki noticed that fighting alongside of him was a blonde-haired youth with a very familiar face. He wore the same uniform as the enemy, but apparently he wasn't one of them.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of her friends, Midori made it across the lab unscathed and practically threw herself on the limp form of her father. "Dad! Dad!" she yelled, cradling his head. "Wake up, Dad!" There was no response. Panic struck the young lady as she inspected the man's motionless body. His shirt was bloody. But his chest was moving. He was alive. Midori continued to call out his name with renewed vigor, and gently slapped his unconscious face. Finally, after several tense minutes, Subaru's eyes opened a crack.

"Mi-Midori…" he said in a weak, trembling voice. "You're… you're alive…"

"I'm alive, Daddy. And I'm right here," she responded, crying simply from the magnitude of the situation. Their touching reunion was cut short by a looming shadow and a sinister voice that went along with it.

"I'm sorry little girl," Seishirou told the petrified Midori. "But I have a job to finish. Don't worry about getting out of the way, though. I've been asked to kill you, too."

"Noooo!" the girl screamed. She had never seen this man before, yet he seemed eerily familiar and altogether terrifying. Still, Midori had just gotten Subaru back, and she was not about to let this dark stranger take him away. Slowly, she got to her feet. "I won't let you touch him."

Seishirou laughed at his diminutive opponent. "What power do you have to stop me?" Then, with a vicious grin, he removed his sunglasses and revealed his mismatched eyes, a mirror image of Subaru.

"Your eyes," Midori gasped. "Just like my father…"

The assassin's expression immediately changed from cunning and evil, to panicked and helpless. Midori cringed. She had no idea what she had done to trigger such a reaction. She actually found herself feeling sorry for this strange man, who was now clutching his face and wailing like a madman.

"Are you alright?" she asked, extending a hand. But she never made contact with Seishirou. The enraged Mr. Ishida crashed onto the scene, violently shoving Seishirou to the ground and seizing Midori's small wrist.

"How many times do I have to kill you?" he roared. "I'm going to end this once and for all! I'll cut you into so many pieces they'll never be able to put you back together!"

Midori's eyes darted from the man who had tried to kill her, kidnapped her father, and was about to kill her again, to the barely conscious man on the floor behind her. _Why am I so weak?_ her heart cried. _I need strength! I need a way to protect him!_

Then something incredible happened. Midori felt a surge of energy coursing through her body, radiating from her heart and gathering in the center of her free left hand. In a beautiful glow, a glistening glint of metal emerged from the young girl's palm, growing outward and ending in an ornate hilt. Ishida relinquished her other arm, and all eyes turned to the teenage girl now wielding a magnificent weapon.

"A… a sword…" she gasped. "A sword from the palm of my hand…"

Subaru looked up with pride, his weary eyes sparkling with tears of joy. "Just like your mother," he beamed. "Just like your mother."

To be continued…


	9. Memories

It took me way too long to write this chapter, and for that I am deeply sorry. For some reason this chapter was very difficult to write. The beginning is mostly action… but there is also quite a bit of talking and history in here. Please do not be offended if Seishirou doesn't have a big role in this chapter. He'll get a lot more play next time around, I promise. Anyway, I hope you enjoy… and I give all my love to anybody who has read this far. Thank you so much for the support.

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 8: Memories

"Just like your mother. Just like your mother."

The enigmatic statement, spoken twice by Subaru, resonated in Midori's ears, though she did not have time to ask him what it meant, nor to marvel at the magnificent weapon that had just emerged from her left palm. Tetsuo Ishida and his minions' shocked pause lasted only a moment and then he was barking attack orders once again. Only now, his voice was desperate.

"All of you! Go after the girl!" he shouted at his curse-soldiers, who instantly complied. Then he turned his attention to the crumpled form of Seishirou. "You malfunctioning piece of shit! You will obey me!" He punctuated his sentiment with a fierce kick to the assassin's side, but Seishirou wouldn't get up.

Midori had to act fast to fend off her assailants. She wasn't scared, though. The miraculous appearance of this sword from her body took away all her fears and instilled in her a self-confidence she never possessed during her onmyou training. She closed her eyes and let the blade guide her movements. With one smooth swing, three of the black-suited foes were transformed back into paper spells. She didn't even need any help from her grown male comrades, and they were free to marvel at her transformation.

The wounded Subaru stared at his daughter, even as Mr. Aoki was helping him to his feet. All the grace and poise Midori lacked while attempting to perform exorcisms was instantly found with the sword in her hand. Her natural talent even put Fuuma to shame. It didn't take long for all of Ishida's spell army to be extinguished, and the girl's eyes darted to find their real target. Seishirou was gone. As for Ishida, he had retreated to the far end of the laboratory along with his scientist mistress, Dr. Elizabeth Silver. They were hiding coward-like behind Ishida's only human lackeys, Ritsuko and Takashi.

Midori strode over purposefully, sword at her side, light brown eyes aglow with intensity. "You," she said, confronting Ishida. "You tried to kill my father. You tried to kill my friends. And you tried to kill me. You are a soulless villain who deserves to die." Ritsuko and Takashi stepped aside as the young woman extended her blade and pressed it against the trembling criminal's throat. Ishida was paralyzed with the realization that he was about to be killed by a thirteen-year old girl. But she didn't move her blade, didn't finish him off.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you," she demanded. "Tell me why you deserve to live, and I'll let you." Ishida's fear turned into devious glee, and he revealed his wickedest grin yet. This girl didn't realize that her compassion was a critical flaw and was about to have fatal consequences.

In the brief window of time while Midori waited for his response, Ishida snatched a long knife from inside of his jacket and swung it out. The sharp clang of metal striking metal resonated in the air as Ishida knocked Midori's sword away from his neck. Both combatants swung their weapons. Man and girl were now engaged in mortal combat, and everyone else in the lab could only watch with bated breath as they darted back and forth within the open space. Subaru couldn't handle it.

"Midori!" he cried out, trying to dash to her rescue. Aoki was still supporting the injured onmyouji, however, and held him back.

"You're in no condition to fight," the wind-master chided. "It's hard, but we have to let her do this on her own." The words stung a bit as they came off of his tongue. Aoki knew that if it were Yuka or Maki who was in danger, he wouldn't be able to hold back so easily. But however scared he was, Subaru managed to restrain himself.

His outburst, however, did not go unnoticed. Hearing her father call her name, out of fear and love, gave Midori the surge of strength in her heart that she needed. With a sudden swell of finesse, she managed to force back Ishida until he was trapped with his back against the massive concrete support column that was situated at the center of the cavernous laboratory.

"Your time is up," she growled. Then, without hesitation, she swung her sword and the entire room shuddered. The ensuing sound was not the clink of metal on metal, but it was not metal striking flesh either. It was the sound of concrete crumbling and disintegrating into dust, which spread across the room like a noxious cloud.

"H-How did he dodge me?" the baffled young swordswoman stuttered. She looked around for him, but the dust and debris obscured her vision. "Dad?" she called out, in a near panic. "Mr. Munou. Mr. Aoki. Mr. Shiyuu. Where are you guys? I-I don't see that black-suit guy or any of his bad-guys anywhere. Did they leave?"

"We're all fine," Subaru replied. "But don't put your guard down. That guy… his name is Ishida, and he probably won't remain hidden for long. We'll have to wait for the dust to settle." But something wasn't right. The room was still quaking violently and dust and chunks of concrete were starting to fall from the ceiling.

"What's going on?" Midori coughed as she desperately tried to locate the source of her father's voice, well aware that Ishida could reappear at any moment.

"I think this place is collapsing!" shouted Kusanagi. "That must have been a load bearing column! We have to get out of here! Everyone head for the door where we came in!"

"Mr. Aoki! Do you have my dad? Can you both make it?" Midori hollered over the rumble of a collapsing building.

"We'll be fine, Midori," he yelled back. "Go on to the door! We'll meet you there!"

The young girl paused for a moment and thought about what her family friend had just said. Her gut instinct was telling her to ignore Mr. Aoki. To make a mad, irrational dash to the father who had been missing from her life for three days, and to stay by his side no matter what. Even if it meant that they both died in the cave-in. She gripped the hilt of her sword tighter in her sweaty hand. _No. I'm going to have faith in him. In all of them._ And she took off at a run for the exit. When she got there, she was horrified at what she found.

"It's all caved in!" she shouted to the men, who were rushing to join her. "We… we can't get out this way!"

Without warning, the lights flickered out and the room was thrown into pitch-blackness. Midori felt true terror grip her chest and a cold strong hand grip her wrist. She wanted to scream, but fear had robbed her of her voice and all she could manage was a hoarse squawk.

"I-Ishida?"

"I don't know where he is," answered an unfamiliar male voice. "I'm Ken, I'm on your team." Ken's voice was calm and fearless. He continued. "There's another exit, I just need to find it."

Just as Ken was finishing his sentence, the emergency backup generator turned on and the room was bathed in a pale blue glow. It wasn't enough light to guide the stranded team's escape, but it was enough to illuminate the outline of a large wolf-like creature that had mysteriously appeared.

"Inuki" Midori exclaimed joyously. "How did you get down here?" The spirit dog responded with a confident woof, then took off at a run. "Everyone follow him!" Midori yelled.

The young woman lost all sense of her surroundings as she focused on Inuki's swishing tail and ran after it as fast as her legs would take her. Like before, she had to rely on faith that Subaru and the others were following behind her. She couldn't see them, but she could feel them with her and it gave her hope as she ran without slowing for what seemed like miles. Finally, the darkness gave way to the white light of the surface and the pregnant silhouette of Yuzuriha Shiyuu, who was waiting for them.

"Midori!" she shouted. Then she greeted the others as they arrived. "Kusanagi! And Mr. Munou and Mr. Aoki! Su-Subaru! You're alive! And you're… you're bleeding! Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine," Subaru answered, though his voice was weaker than normal. "We all made it out safely thanks to Inuki and you. Thank you."

"Say, where exactly are we?" Ken interjected, and for the first time Yuzuriha realized that a blonde stranger had arrived along with her husband and friends.

"We're in the basement of Clamp Campus Hospital. The chairman told me about this tunnel so I sent Inuki down to explore it… Who… who are you? You look so familiar."

"It's a long story," Subaru sighed. "I think we all need to get cleaned up and rested, and then we can discuss everything that's happened. Right, Midori?"

Midori just stood there for a moment, staring at her father. Throughout their whole ordeal, the rescue mission, the swordfight, the escape, Subaru had remained at arms length from her. Now they were safe and together again, and although she had a million questions to ask, Midori decided to put them off until later and do the one thing she had been longing to do for the past three day. She dropped the sword to the floor with a loud clang and, crying, she hugged her dad as tightly as she could. Everyone remained silent and Yuzuriha stared transfixed at the discarded weapon.

"That sword," she uttered. "Midori has the power of Ise."

"That's right… the sword," the young girl sniffled, as her nose was now running. "That sword came out of my hand… And everybody acted like it was normal… like they weren't even surprised. And Dad, you said it was just like my mother. What's going on?"

Subaru smiled warmly at the daughter who had been away from him for way too long. "Your mother could produce a sword like that from her hand, too. Her name was Arashi, she was a priestess of Ise Shrine and had many spiritual gifts. And now you have inherited this one. I'm very proud of you."

"My mother was a priestess?" Midori asked, baffled. "How come you didn't tell me about this earlier? Why did you never talk about my mother before?"

"I should have told you about you mother a long time ago," Subaru sighed, cupping his girl's cheek in his hand. "When you were younger, you used to ask me questions about her all the time."

"But your face always got so sad when I did," the girl responded. "So eventually I stopped asking."

"She was a person who was very important to me," the father continued remorsefully. "And I thought it would be less painful for me if I never talked about her. But it was a very selfish decision on my part. I denied you a crucial part of your identity, and for that I am sorry. But I won't be like that anymore. Midori, I want to tell you everything about your mother."

"Really?" Midori asked eagerly.

"Really," Subaru responded with a smile. "But I think it will have to wait until tomorrow. Right now, we all need some rest and medical attention."

"Well, you're in the right place," said a tearful Yuzuriha. "We are in a hospital after all."

The group headed up to the active levels of the hospital, with Midori and Mr. Aoki supporting Subaru. "Wow," the girl marveled. "My mother was a Shinto priestess and my father is the most powerful onmyouji in all of Japan. Amazing!" Hearing his daughter's words, Subaru felt a stab of pain that had nothing to do with his injuries shoot through his chest. "Oh yeah," she added, sounding a bit more serious. "I was meaning to ask you, dad, who was that man down there… the one who collapsed when I confronted him?"

"That," Subaru replied with a pause, unsure of how to answer. "That was the Sakurazukamori."

"You mean Seishirou?" she gasped. "Your Seishirou? The one you knew when you were young? But… but I thought he was dead!"

"That man, Ishida, made a new one," he sighed, and apparently it was enough of an explanation for Midori because she didn't ask any more questions. She just held her dad a little more tightly as they walked up the stairs together.

That evening, Clamp school chairman, Nokoru Imonoyama, was able to make special arrangements for the weary band of adventurers. After Subaru's wounds had been tended to and everyone had eaten a hot dinner, the gang retreated to the lodgings the chairman had designated for them, the same dormitory that had once housed the younger Dragons of Heaven while they attended school.

Midori had been more exhausted then she let on, and was now fast asleep in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Subaru was sitting on the porch, talking with Yuzuriha. It was still a bit warm from the day, so his kimono was tied loosely and it hung open, exposing the bandages wrapped tightly around his abdomen.

"That must hurt," Yuzuriha said softly. "Did he really do that with just his bare hands?"

'Yeah," Subaru said, exhaling. "His skeleton is made of metal. His flesh is cloned from the real Seishirou. His blood is my blood. His mind… I don't know how it works… if it's organic or robotic…"

"But at least he's gone now," she replied. "I mean, he must have died in the cave in. And that Ishida guy, too."

Subaru closed his eyes and hung his head sadly. "I don't know about Ishida… But that Seishirou, he's still alive. I can feel it. I know he's not _really_ Seishirou. But I can feel his existence, just like I could with the original. He's out there somewhere. And I think… I think he's very unstable."

With a gentle swoosh, the front door slid open and Sei'ichirou Aoki stepped out and sat down with his fellow seals. "I was just watching the news." His voice was quiet and serious. "Two young women have turned up dead this evening in Tokyo. Subaru…" He paused. "Subaru, they both looked an awful lot like Midori. Do you think it was…?"

"Yes, it was Seishirou," Subaru answered before Aoki could even finish his question. He could feel the rims of his eyelids start to sting and he clenched his fists. "Why is all of this happening?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"I think he's obsessed with her," Sei'ichirou mused. "You saw the way he freaked out when he first saw her. He's supposed to be the perfect killing machine, but there's something about Midori that caused him to malfunction. What I can't figure out is why. Why Midori?"

Subaru turned his face away from his friends and looked out at Clamp campus bathed in moon glow. The truth felt like a hot lump of coal in his throat, and he knew he had to get it out. He just didn't want to have to look at anyone when he said it, so he continued staring at the landscape.

"I think I know why," he began. "While I was being held captive I found out something about Midori… something I was never meant to know. Seishirou is actually Midori's biological father."

"No!" Yuzuriha stammered as she rose to her feet. "He… he can't be! Sorata is Midori's father! We've always known that! And you, you even said she looks like him! This… this can't be true! It has to be a mistake!"

Much to Subaru's surprise, Yuzuriha was now crying. He didn't realize she was so emotionally invested. But then, she was also very pregnant and very hormonal. Sei'ichirou stood up and held her like a friend, like a father. "Are you sure?" he asked as he patted the whimpering young lady's back. "How is that even possible?"

"Artificial insemination," Subaru answered. "According to the official records I found, they performed the procedure on Arashi during the time she was with the Seven Angels. It makes sense, considering that Ishida was in cahoots with the Kamui of the Dragons of Earth. They were probably just waiting to get their hands on a suitable female subject."

"Poor Arashi!" Yuzuriha sobbed. "To think that her child would be fathered by anyone other than the man she loved… Did she have any idea? I mean, that the baby wasn't even Sorata's?"

"She never suspected anything," Subaru sighed. "Those scientists wiped out all her memories of ever having been in that lab. That's why, even with all complications she had, she was oblivious to any notion of foul play." He paused thoughtfully. "Maybe it's better that she never knew."

"What?" Yuzuriha gasped. "How is it better that she was deceived all this time?" Now, finally looking at his friends' faces, Subaru could tell that Mr. Aoki was equally confused.

"I remember the time when Arashi was pregnant very well," he began explaining. "It was high-risk from the start. The doctors said she would never carry the child to term and that she would most likely miscarry within the first few months."

"I remember that, too," Yuzuriha sniffled softly. "But Arashi was determined that nothing bad would happen to her baby. She told me she would rather die than lose the baby."

"In Arashi's mind," Subaru continued. "Her unborn child was all she had left of Sorata. And it was the sheer strength of her wish for a healthy child that kept the baby alive. But her wish came at a price, paid with her own body. I think, deep in her heart, Arashi knew that giving birth would take her life. And it did. Arashi died so that Midori, her beloved Sorata's daughter, could live."

"So, what exactly are you getting at, Subaru?" Sei'ichirou asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"Midori was supposed to die before she was even born," the younger man answered. "But Arashi chose to die instead. The question is, would she have made the same choice if she had known that her child's father was Seishirou Sakurazuka?"

All three people on the porch remained silent after Subaru posed this final question. Yuzuriha blinked back even more tears, and Aoki just closed his eyes in frustration. None of them had an answer.

"You know, he might not be," a bold voice interrupted. Three faces immediately turned to the doorway and the tall blonde figure that was framed therein.

"Ken," Subaru addressed the interloper. "So, how long have you been listening in on our private conversation?"

"Long enough," he answered. "And I was wondering if I could put in my two cents."

Yuzuriha snorted contemptuously. "Considering that you refuse to even tell us who you are, why should we even take you seriously? And you didn't even know Arashi."

"No," the young man retorted. "But I did work for the people who experimented of her. I wasn't a member of _Ressurectors_ back then, but for the last two years I have been collecting and organizing the records for all of their past and present activities."

"Go on," Subaru urged, intrigued.

"I remember reading all the details about your friend's procedure. That was right when they were about to abandon the artificial insemination project. They were already working on mecha-cloning hybrids by then. But when this girl showed up on their doorstep they decided to give it one last shot. They worked in a hurry and were reckless. They didn't even do any preliminary medical exams or follow-up. They never knew if their experiment resulted in a pregnancy. They didn't even check if she was pregnant already. It is true that the Sakurazukamori might be that girl's father. But it is equally likely that her father is that other guy. Only a blood test will tell for sure."

"His name was Sorata," Yuzuriha informed. "Not 'that other guy.' And how do we even know you're telling the truth?"

"Calm down, Yuzu," said Subaru. "I trust Ken. He saved my life."

"I trust him, too," Aoki added. "There's something about the boy's face…"

"I trust him," Subaru repeated. "But I don't think a blood test will be necessary. Seishirou… the fake Seishirou, that is, went mad after meeting Midori, and there's only one explanation I can think of. As much as I wish it weren't true, I think we all have to face the fact that Midori's real, biological father is indeed Seishirou."

"What?" a soft voice squeaked, startling the group of four. Horrified, Subaru realized that it was Midori, dressed in her pajamas, standing behind Ken. "Seishirou is my… father?"

"Midori," croaked Subaru, wide-eyed with terror. "How long have you been standing there?"

To be continued…


	10. Moonlight

Author's notes: I can't believe I finally wrote a new chapter for this story! It's so exciting! I think I mentioned before that I've been having a bit of writer's block when it comes to this story, which is why it's been on a hiatus. It's probably because it's getting very close to the end and I'm not sure how to end it (much like CLAMP and the real X story). I'm also working on another story (a Naruto one) simultaneously. I will try not to let quite so much time go by without updating again, but it might be awhile. This chapter is meant to set up the final battle… But who will fight whom?

The Season of the Witch  
By Angel Maxwell

Chapter 9: Moonlight

Midori trembled visibly as the revelation sank in. "You… you're not really my dad?" she stuttered, glassy eyes fixed on the moonlit sillouette of the man who had raised her since infancy. He was speechless and frozen in place, as were Yuzuriha and Aoki, though in lesser degrees of shock. "And you," the girl addressed her father's friends. "You guys knew this all along, didn't you?"

Sei'ichirou looked down at his hands. "Yes," he said softly and Yuzuriha nodded agreement. "We knew."

"Midori," Subaru finally worked his nerves up to saying. He got up to his feet very slowly and cautiously approached the girl he had always considered his daughter. "Please, let me explain…"

Pensively, she slid her tongue across parched lips as if she were about to say something, but as her mouth parted, no sound came out and instead she turned on heel and disappeared back inside and up the stairs. Subaru moved forward as if to follow after her, but Aoki gently and firmly seized him by the arm and held him back.

"Not yet," he said, shaking his head reprovingly. "Give her a little time alone, first. Let it sink in."

Midori's slippered feet felt as awkward and useless as tree limbs as she staggered into her temporary bedroom. She was still too shocked to produce any tears, although she definitely felt like crying. _Seishirou is my father._ The statement kept repeating over and over in her head, but it didn't feel real. It was like the sort of dream you had when you were sick and running a high fever, grotesque and surreal.

Despite the fact that Subaru had spoken of him many times, always with an odd mix of fear and longing in his voice, Sakurazuka Seishirou had forever been shrouded in mystery. All Midori really knew was that Seishirou had been someone vitally important to Subaru. She imagined him as a dark sorcerer and a guardian angel, a monster and a savior, a deeply kept secret and an inescapable part of her so-called father's life.

But she never, in all her life, imagined that he could be her father. And how? How could Seishirou be her father? Had he and her Shinto priestess mother been lovers? Somehow this just didn't seem plausible to the teenage girl. There was, of course, one person who could answer all of her questions. But he was the one person Midori just couldn't bring herself to speak to right now. The mere thought of his gently lying eyes and mysteriously kind smile made her blood feel hot.

As if he had sensed that Midori was thinking about him, Subaru chose that moment to knock on her door. "Midori, may I please come in?" he asked.

"Go away! You're a liar and I don't want to talk to you!" she spat out, though her own words cut her like a knife. The tears were finally starting to flow and she clutched her pillow tensely to her chest. "So just leave me alone!"

"I can't just leave you alone," Subaru pleaded through the door. "You're my daughter and I love you."

"But I'm not your daughter!" she cried. "And you've always known it!"

"I was going to tell you, Midori. That's the reason why I was taking you to Kyoto. But then all this stuff happened… Trust me, Midori, this is not how I wanted you to find out about your real paternity. But now that you know I think we should talk about it. Then maybe you'll understand why I didn't tell you sooner. So please, just open the door and let me in."

"No," she replied, despite the pain and desperation that had been laced in Subaru's voice. "I… I don't think I can look at you right now."

"Alright," he responded, sounding remarkably patient. "But I'm going to be waiting here outside your door until you say it's okay to come in." And with those words, the troubled onmyouji sank to the floor and waited in silence for his daughter to let him in.

She had no immediate intention to do so, however. And now she was trapped. If Midori wanted to leave her bedroom, she would have to face Subaru. The strangest thing was that Midori wasn't even sure what she was so scared of. Today she had survived a swordfight with a madman and escaped from a collapsing underground laboratory. So why couldn't she handle this conversation with Subaru?

It was because she loved him. She loved feeling like she belonged to him, a bond of flesh and blood. To her, that blood-bond meant unconditional love, that even if she failed, her father would always love her. But now, that unspoken promise was revealed to be an illusion. Suddenly it seemed frighteningly possible that Subaru could chose to stop loving her at any moment, and if she had to talk to him, she was certain she would cry. She didn't want him to see her tears. So she lay on the bed staring at the ceiling fan as it lazily spun around and around, unable to sleep and unable to leave, but unsure of what to do.

After an hour, Midori had played out every imaginable scenario between Seishirou and her mother that could have led to her conception, but she didn't believe any of them. Then a sudden and irrational thought struck the young girl like lightning. Maybe _he_ knew something about her origins. If the original Seishirou had been her biological father, then it was possible that the new, artificial version of him might know where she came from. After all, Subaru said that the new Seishirou was programmed to have all of the real man's memories.

_I have to talk to Seishirou,_ she thought to herself. _And I have to do it tonight. But how will I ever get out of here with da… Subaru waiting right outside my door._

As she pondered how to escape her self-imposed prison, an eerie screeching sound interrupted Midori's thought process. She flinched slightly, then spun to the source of the noise, which she discovered was just the branches of the tree right outside brushing up against her bedroom window. Her sigh of relief was followed immediately by a gasp of pleasure. This was the answer to her problem.

Using the utmost care to suppress her natural clumsiness and not make any noise that might draw the attention of the man outside her door, Midori changed out of her pajamas and into the only other outfit that had been in the closet, a Clamp Academy girl's uniform. Her shoes were unfortunately still resting inside the front door downstairs so she would have to go without them. Without really thinking about it, she grabbed everything she had in the room and shoved it into the backpack she had brought on the rescue mission. It suddenly occurred to her that she must subconsciously suspect that she wouldn't be returning.

With all the deftness she could muster, Midori slid open the window glass followed by the screen and climbed out, groping for a branch. The tree's coarse bark scratched and tore the skin of her thighs as she slowly descended. She tried not to let it bother her but her eyes watered at the sting. As soon as her bare feet touched the ground, she was off, running as far away from the dormitory building as fast as she possibly could. She pumped her legs furiously, not even caring where exactly they were taking her, and didn't stop until she was so pink-cheeked and winded that she had to just to catch her breath. It was during this break that she suddenly realized her dilemma.

"I don't even know how to find Seishirou," she acknowledged aloud. "Argh! Why didn't I think this through first? Think, think, Midori! I can't think here… Need to go someplace where I can…"

Midori knew that there was only one place she could go to where her mind would be clear enough to figure out her next move. Incidentally, that place was in the opposite direction from the one she was running in. Immediately, she changed her course and headed towards the tree where she had first encountered Professor Munou. It was a beautiful place in the moon's blue glow, and when she got there, Midori breathed a heavy sigh and sank against the thick trunk.

"How am I going to get in contact with this guy?" she puzzled. "Is there somewhere he goes to sleep? Does he even sleep?" She didn't realize that her puzzling was out loud and that she wasn't alone until a soft voice spoke up, causing her to jolt.

"Hello, there," the voice said. "Are you lost?"

For a brief moment, Midori thought that the gentle male voice was coming out of thin air, which made her more than a little scared. Then a young man stepped out from the shadow of another tree. He was the most beautiful person she had ever seen, even more so than Professor Munou. But this boy was much younger, probably around fifteen or sixteen, with tousled black hair and piercing blue eyes. Midori couldn't help but blush a bit just from looking at him. And there was something so familiar about him.

"I… I'm not lost," she answered somewhat shyly. "It's late, I know. I just came out here to think and I… Um, my name is Midori, by the way, Midori Sumeragi."

"Sumeragi, eh?" the beautiful boy asked curiously. "You must be related to Subaru then."

Midori let out a tiny gasp at the mention of that name. "Yes, he's my fath… well he… I'm his… It's complicated."

The boy just nodded. "I understand. My family was always a bit complicated too. Name's Kamui Shirou. It's nice to meet you, Midori Sumeragi."

Her heart was beating so fast as she stared at her reflection in his icy eyes. She had suddenly realized why this boy seemed so familiar. It was his eyes. She had seen these eyes before, only they were on a much younger boy who was framed in a photograph standing next to a young Professor Munou.

_It's him_, she thought excitedly. _It's the boy from the photo! But wait… It can't be. If the Professor was just a kid then, that boy must be much older than this guy. But it is him. I can just feel it. I… I should ask him…_

"Excuse me," she asked. "Mr. Shirou, pardon my asking, but do you know a man named Fuuma Munou?"

Kamui smiled gently. "I do. He's my best friend. We grew up together."

"How can that be?" the young girl questioned. "He's twice your age."

"You ask a lot of questions, Miss Sumeragi," he responded with a somewhat coy expression. "Do you mind if I ask one of you?"

"I guess not," she answered, taken off guard by his request.

"Who is he?" asked Kamui. "Who is this person you're trying to contact?"

Midori stared. She had gotten so caught up in the stranger's arrival that she'd temporarily forgotten what she was looking for. "He's someone I need to talk to. He's a man… well, he's sort of a man, who might know something about my past. You see… he… he's kind of… He's my father."

Kamui scratched his lovely chin thoughtfully. "Your father, eh? Well, then why hasn't this man been in your life up until now?"

"Like I said, it's complicated," Midori answered. "This guy doesn't know that he's my father. I just found out about it myself today. And he's not _exactly_ my father… more like a… a copy."

"Well, I'm not quite sure what you mean," he replied. "But I understand how you must have felt growing up without a father."

"Oh no, it's not like that!" the young girl exclaimed. "I had a father, the best father! But today… today I found out…" She sniffed back the tears that threatened to leak out from her eyes. "He's not really my father. He's just been lying to me my whole life. And my real father is this man… this terrifying mysterious man from his past. I… I just want to know how I came to exist, and… and I don't know why I'm telling all this to a complete stranger. This day… this whole week, really… It's just been too much."

By now the tears were dripping freely down Midori's face and she made no attempt to hide them from Mr. Shirou. He did not seem at all offended or uncomfortable. Quite the opposite reaction, he sat down next to her on the ground and placed a compassionate hand on her shoulder.

"I see, so Subaru raised you as his own, but now you've found out that you're not his own."

Midori nodded and her new confidant continued.

"But has anything really changed? He knew all along that you were not his flesh and blood daughter, and how did he treat you?"

"With love… just like any other father," she answered. "But more. He always made me feel safe, like he would protect me with his life if he had to and love me no matter what I ever did."

"That's probably still how he feels about you," Kamui told her. "Miss Sumeragi, I want to tell you something. Family… it's not about blood. It's about love. I don't know who my father is, but I think yours is Subaru Sumeragi. I understand if you still want to find your biological father and talk to him. But don't let what he tells you make you forget that you have a father who loves you, okay?"

Her tears had dried, and now Midori was feeling strangely optimistic. This young man, Kamui Shirou, had appeared out of nowhere and comforted her. He had only heard her story just now, and yet he had come up with the exact words she needed to hear. But there was something else, something that transcended mere words. Because anyone could have said the same words as he had and it wouldn't have meant the same. It was Kamui himself. There was some sort of calming aura surrounding him. There was also an air of mystery too him, his impossibly young appearance, his connection to both Professor Munou and Subaru, his appearance at this spot at the exact same time in the middle of the night as her. Was he even real?

"Thank you," Midori said softly deciding not to question him about any of these things. "Thank you Mr. Shirou, for everything you've done for me tonight. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do… But you've given me hope."

The beautiful Kamui smiled warmly at her, but was soon distracted by voice calling his name from the shadows.

"Kamui!" The voice was lilting and feminine, soft and lovely. "Kamui, we're going to be late!"

"I'm afraid I have to be going, Miss Sumeragi," he said as he stood up and dusted himself off. "But I have greatly enjoyed your company, and I hope you find what you're looking for out there. Good night, fair lady."

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked calmly.

"Perhaps," he answered. Then he bowed low, took one of her hands in his and pressed a chivalrous kiss to it. As he disappeared back wherever he came from, Midori swore she could see a delicate white hand reach out to him and a swish of golden curls that vanished back into the darkness. Her whole face felt warm, and she was sure it was bright red. Suddenly her teacher wasn't the only man the adolescent fancied. But she had to face the decision in front of her. Should she continue her search for Seishirou? Or go back to the dormitory building, where Subaru was still waiting outside her bedroom door? She was tired, barefoot, and cold, and one of her options seemed much more appealing at the moment. She had made up her mind to go back to the dorms, but as soon as she stood up, she was confronted by a black sillouette that was most definitely not Kamui or Subaru just a few meters away.

"Seishirou," she breathed as the moonlight glinted in his one silver eye.

Seishirou didn't seem afraid of her this time, but he wouldn't come any closer. "I can tell you everything you want to know," he said, his voice as cold and smooth as steel. "Meet me at the Rainbow Bridge in one hour."

"Wait!" Midori gasped, eager for more information. But as she lunged forward to stop the dark assassin he jumped back out of reach then vanished into the night. Midori's plan changed instantly. She had come out to search for him, and now he had offered her exactly what she longed for so desperately in her soul. How could she refuse? Moving fast and silent as the wind over an open field, Midori Sumeragi ran off towards Rainbow Bridge, to uncover her past, and face her destiny.

To be continued…


	11. Entrapment

The Season of the Witch  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Chapter 10: Entrapment

Mr. Aoki adjusted his glasses and tucked a strand of light brown hair behind his ear as he peered through the small gap of the slightly open front door. For the past ten minutes he had been silently watching the teenage boy who sat recumbent on the front porch, trying to decide whether or not to step outside and speak to him.

"I know that you're watching me," the young man said, catching Sei'ichirou by surprise. "So you might as well come out."

The older man slid the door the rest of the way open and stepped outside into the night air and closed it behind him. Ken was still wearing his Resurrectors uniform making him seem strangely out of place.

"So how is she?" Ken asked. "The girl, I mean."

Aoki sighed and took a seat across from him. "She's understandably shaken. Actually, she's locked herself in her room, refusing to talk to anyone. Subaru won't give up, though. He's planted himself outside her door, and he says he's not going to leave until she lets him in."

"She doesn't realize how lucky she is to have a father who loves her so much," said Ken with a sort of dreamy smile. "Really, very lucky indeed."

"Do you say that because you grew up in an orphanage, Ken?" Aoki asked with no pretense.

The teenager gasped very slightly and immediately turned to look his companion in the eyes. "You know? I lived in a Tokyo orphanage until I was fifteen. But how could you know about that?"

"Because I know your mother carried a heavy burden and would not have been able to care for you," the wind master replied sincerely. "She would have had no other choice but to give you up, no matter how painful it must have been for her."

Ken's face suddenly became pale and ghostlike. He licked his lips several times before speaking, but still the words seemed difficult to get out. "My… mother… What do you know about my mother?"

"Your mother was a woman named Karen Kasumi," Sei'ichirou said calmly. "Am I right?"

"Yes," Ken mouthed, though he barely made a sound.

A wistful smile spread across the ex-dragon's face when he said his old friend's name. "I knew from the moment I saw you that you were hers. You have her eyes." He paused a moment. "And there's something else, too. Karen Kasumi was a dear friend to me. But whenever she would smile, I could see something sad in her face, as if something she loved very much was missing. And when I saw you it made sense. I knew what that something was."

The blonde teenager finally relaxed his shoulders and let out a contented sigh. "I have to admit, I'm kind of glad you figured it out on your own. I guess this means the note was true." Aoki tilted his head curiously and Ken immediately began to explain. "There was a note that was given to the orphanage when I was dropped off as a baby. But they didn't even show it to me until I left at fifteen." Carefully, the boy reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded piece of old paper and handed it to Sei'ichirou. It was soft and torn and wrinkled so he had to be delicate in unfolding it.

After reading the note through, Aoki took off his wire-frame glasses and closed his eyes. "It doesn't really surprise me that Karen would be totally honest in the note. She clearly wanted you to know that the reason she gave you away was because she was someone who would be involved in the End of the World."

"Yeah," the boy said softly. "At first I thought it was some kind of joke. That was until I met Mr. Ishida. He told me all about the Dragons of Heaven and Earth, and the secret war that happened around 1999. He promised to help me uncover the critical bit of information that was missing from the note… the identity of my father. In return, I had to work for him and become a Resurrector. Pretty soon, my duties to him took over my life… He never told me anything about my father… He didn't tell me a lot of things, actually. I didn't even know about the plot to kidnap Mr. Sumeragi until after it happened. I took it as a sign that it was time for me to leave that organization… find people who might actually be able to help me."

"I guess that would be us," said Sei'ichirou, calm despite all the new information that had just been delivered to him.

"I wanted to talk to you surviving Dragons," replied Ken. "But with everything that's been going on I thought it would be best to wait. That's why I didn't want to tell any of you who I really am. I just would have distracted you all from much more important things."

"Well, considering that your mother was a very precious friend of mine, that makes you a friend of mine as well. I will tell you everything I know about her, and I will do anything I can to help you."

As Mr. Aoki was speaking to Ken, a faint sound was growing behind them until it was easily recognizable as the frantic slap of slippered feet on hardwood floors. When the sound reached its apex, the sliding door flew open and a panicked Subaru burst through.

"Midori!" he shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Midori!"

"Whoa!" a dazed Aoki said, trying to calm down his friend. "What's going on, Subaru?"

Subaru was breathing heavily and his voice was disjointed and erratic. "Midori is gone! Outside her room… got a bad feeling, like something wrong… Broke the lock, opened her door… She's gone! Out the window! Gone! She… she must have gone to find Seishirou! She's in danger!"

"Just calm down," Aoki urged. "We won't have much luck finding her if you're in a panic. Now, do want me to go with you to go look for her?"

"I'll come too if It'll help," Ken added.

By now Subaru had gotten a bit more control over himself. "You can come if you want. But I can't ask you to. I just have this feeling that this is not going to end well… And that this is a fight I'll have to face alone."

Aoki and Ken were on their feet now and the older man put his hand on Subaru's shoulder. "We're coming with you. Even if it turns out we can't do anything to help. I have a feeling Kusanagi and Fuuma will want to help, too."

"I leave it in your hands," Subaru said. " Whoever wants to help can spread out and search the Clamp school campus. I'm leaving now though. I can't waste any time. I have to find my daughter. I have to pick up her trail."

"That might be difficult," Ken replied in a calm and analytical voice. "Her shoes are still sitting here by the door, so wherever she went, she went barefoot."

"That won't stop me," Subaru growled, determination fueling his words. "I'll find her. And I think I know the first place I'll look." Even as he spoke, he was taking off his slippers and putting on his shoes.

Before the onmyouji ran off into the night, Sei'ichirou looked him directly in his mismatched eyes and said, "good luck, Subaru."

"Thank you," he whispered back. Then he took flight, vanishing into the darkness.

The beating of his own heart pulsed in Subaru's ears, drowning out the sound of his feet as he ran across the campus, heading for Kamui and Kotori's tree. His mind was still dwelling on that sickening, horrifying wave that had swept over him as he sat patiently in the dorm hallway outside Midori's room. The sensation had been even stronger than the vibes he picked up from Seishirou, and he knew exactly what it meant. His little girl was in grave danger.

_She'll be out looking for him_, he thought to himself. _Now that she knows that Seishirou is her father, she'll want to find him and talk to him. But she doesn't have any idea where to find him, so she'll have to stop somewhere to gather her thoughts. And the place Midori will go to think is…_

"Right here," he said aloud, arriving at the 'special place' Midori had showed him during the school festival. It was deserted. If Midori had stopped here, she had already left. Subaru scrutinized the area carefully. The grass at the base of the tree was flattened, as if someone had recently been sitting there. "So she was here."

Then the strange wave of ill sensation swept over him again. This time, though, it didn't just carry a message of danger; it seemed to be telling him more, a location. "The Rainbow Bridge!" he gasped. "Where I faced off against the real Seishirou fourteen years ago." In an instant, he was off again.

* * *

Midori's feet were sore, scratched and blistered, when she arrived at the bridge where Seishirou told her to meet him. After he'd vanished at the tree, the young woman had run as fast as she possibly could to get to the meeting place he'd designated. Without shoes it was a rather harsh sprint. She looked down at her wristwatch. "I still have a little more time to go," she breathed. Not one car drove past while she was waiting, which was unusual even for this dead time of the night. This place was terrifying.

"Ah, I see you're early too, little one," an icy voice oozed through the blackness.

"Seishirou," Midori called back, gazing off towards where the voice had come from.

A single dot of silver sparkled in the shadows. It was his eye. Soon a black sillouette began to materialize around the tiny twinkle, as the assassin strode purposefully towards the young girl. The moon had retreated behind a dark cloud, so that even as he drew closer, his features remained obscured by the night. "Young Miss Sumeragi," he intoned smoothly. "I've been wanting very much to see you and to speak with you."

"I've wanted to speak to you too," she replied in a trembling voice. "I have so many questions to ask… About the man you once were… and about how you could ever be my father." She immediately recalled the last time she had spoken of fathers in front of this Seishirou and how he had completed broken down. This time he was calm. He extended a pale white hand to her and she took it with both of her own. It was as cold as ice.

"Seishirou," she whispered, as she stared up at his darkened face, the one eye still glowing. He closed his eyes thoughtfully, then he opened them back up and the shine had vanished. Midori drew in a sharp breath. "What?" As if responding to her gasp, the moon emerged from the clouds and cast its light over the entire bridge, illuminating Seishirou's pale face. It wasn't Seishirou at all.

"You're that guy Ishida!" Midori squealed, twisting to get away. But he had already grabbed her wrist in a steal-hard grip.

"You really are a stupid child," he said cruelly, seizing her other hand and twisting both of them painfully behind her back. "To fall into such an obvious trap, it just boggles the mind. This time you really are going to die, you know."

Midori winced at the horrible pain in her arms, as if they were about to be snapped off. "Ow! But… b-but how did you survive the cave in? I thought you were crushed to death."

"I survived the same way you did," he replied. "You destroyed my laboratory, girl. And that's just one more reason why I have to kill you."

"Well, how did you do that thing with your eye?" she asked, seeming alarmingly unafraid. "You looked just like Seishirou… And… why… why didn't you just kill me back at the tree? Why did you have to stage a trap like this?"

Ishida smirked cockily. "You are a curious girl, you are… Inquiring about the details of your own demise. Well, if you must know, that tree you were standing under happens to be protected by two very powerful spirits. If I wanted to attack you, I had to lure you away. And what better place to kill you than here on the Rainbow Bridge? I believe the man who raised you has quite an interesting past with this bridge. Why, if we're lucky, he might even show up tonight."

Midori felt her blood boil and she began to struggle violently against her captor's arms. "You leave Subaru out of this!" she screamed. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

"Don't worry," Ishida chimed. "If he does show up, you'll already be dead. You won't even have to witness it. Now, I'm afraid the time has come."

"Rwarrrr!" Midori roared as she thrashed one last time, and finally wrenched herself from the evil man's talons. "Good luck, you big creep! You've tried to kill me twice before. What makes you think this time will be any different? Especially now that I know I have a special power in me."

The young girl stepped back from her attacker and stared him down hotly. She was focusing all of her energy into her hand in preparation for releasing the sword from her palm. "Get ready to eat my blade," she growled. "I'm going to cut you a new… What the…? The sword! It… it's not coming out! What's going on here?"

Ishida immediately began cackling with wicked laughter. "Ha ha! What's wrong? Forgot your sword? Well, that is a pity, because I have mine right here." Without hesitation he reached behind him and withdrew a large glistening blade. "On the record, I am killing you because your existence has caused a malfunction in Seishirou. Off the record, though, it's because you are a meddlesome little bitch."

Ishida swung his sword, but Midori managed to duck. She sprang back up and lunged at him, raking her fingernails across his cheek. The man flinched, four long scratches marring his white face. Seeing that she'd gotten in a hit, the girl made a triumphant fist. But when she looked at the man's wounds again, she was shocked and disgusted. Oozing from Ishida's cuts was a thick bluish liquid that looked nothing like blood.

"Eww…" she uttered. "What… are you?"

The man didn't answer, but he used his opponent's moment of disbelief to his advantage, readjusting his grip on the sword's handle and swinging. Midori jumped back, the blade barely missing her face. She ducked and weaved as Ishida droved her back. She probably could have continued to dodge, but her bare heel slammed into the concrete curb and she fell backwards, landing roughly on her bottom. Ishida was now hovering above her.

"Ah, your clumsiness just makes this way too easy," he chuckled. His blade was poised above the trembling girl, about to come piercing down into her. Before he could finish her off, a swoosh of black slammed into the side of his face, sending him sprawling onto the concrete. Midori gasped when she saw what it was.

"Dad!" she exclaimed out of habit.

"Midori!" Subaru shouted back. He wanted to run over and scoop the girl up in his arm, but he didn't have time. Ishida was recovering from the mighty kick and Subaru had to keep his guard up. "Run, Midori! Run, get out of here!"

"No!" the girl stammered. "If anyone should run, it should be you! I'm the one Ishida wants to kill. Save yourself!"

"I won't leave you!" he yelled back. "If you won't run, then we'll fight together!"

"Right!" the girl answered, jumping back to her feet.

Ishida was back on his feet as well. His face now had several more cuts, all seeping blue blood. Sword in hand, he lunged at Subaru, who was definitely a bigger threat at the moment than the girl. Subaru sidestepped the attack then swung his fist, landing a swift and direct punch to the assassin's stomach.

"Now, Midori!" he shouted.

While Ishida was holding his bruised stomach with one hand, the girl's skinny leg flew out and kicked the other, sending the sword clattering to the ground. "Grab it, Subaru!"

Both men threw themselves at the fallen weapon, but the onmyouji got to it first and snatched it up. He knew he was at a disadvantage because he was not at all skilled with a sword. Still, there was too much at stake for him to falter. This was the man who had kidnapped him and stolen his blood. Ishida had done horrific experiments to his dear friend Arashi. He had committed the most atrocious crimes against his beloved Seishirou, creating a monster with his name and face. Subaru had to kill him. He had to do it for Arashi and for Seishirou, but mostly for Midori. Of all the sins Ishida had committed, the most unforgivable in Subaru's eyes was trying to kill his little girl.

With the full strength of both his arms, Subaru swung the sword. It hit the side of Tetsuo Ishida's body with a startling metallic _clang_, but the onmyouji forced the blade deeper, sending a spray of hot blue liquid into the air and all over his face. When the sword emerged from the other side of the man's torso, Subaru's hands were raw and on fire from the shear strength required to slice through him.

Ishida's body fell to the ground in two pieces, and Midori and Subaru stood, staring in awe at what they saw. There was no blood or viscera spilling from the bisected man, only more blue liquid. There were no bones or muscles inside of him, only metal and wire and mechanical components.

"He was artificial," Midori breathed. "Just like Seishirou."

To be continued…


End file.
